Anatomy of the Heart
by 0Life-is-a-Song0
Summary: He scorned the way she talked, the way she looked, the way she breathed. He hated how she laughed, how she thought, how she walked. He couldn't stand her voice, her hair, her eyes. He couldn't get away, couldn't leave, had to have.... her. P&P FINISHED
1. Not For All the Monay!

Just another Pride and Prejudice FanFic. R&R and I will type. Tell me what you think.

Disclaimer- Anything you recognize from the book is obviously not mine. Typing that tidbit in the first chapter, and that's all! Look back here if you little wierdos get confused.

Ok, ok! Here we go.

"She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men…" Chapter 3.

Ok, ok, ok!!! Here we go for real!!

Lizzie Bennett awoke stiffly from her slumber. The alarm clock next to her bed buzzed angrily, and Death Cab for Cutie played softly, the guitar floating tauntingly above the ringing. Slapping the off button, Lizzie got up, and took a groggy shower to wake up. The hot water poured over her body, and she groaned as a slight hangover made her head throb. The night before had been a party, her sister Jane, and Lizzie's celebration to finally escaping their mother's clutches. Of course, Jane made it seem much gentler. She worded as if their mother said silly things for the benefit of her daughters. Lizzie took this as stupidity, and told them so.

Lizzie was slightly taller than average, around 5 feet, 11 inches. She had shoulder length brown hair that curled naturally into ringlets when it behaved. Lizzie's eyes were a dark green, flecked with a light brown. When the light hit them just right, they shined, and you couldn't tell what color they were. Standing next to other people, Lizzie was a true beauty. Standing next to her sister, she looked simply right above average.

She stepped out of the shower delicately, towel drying her hair as she struggled to get ready. Her clothes seemed slightly funny on her today, and she felt fuzzy, her tongue seeming slightly too big for her mouth. Lizzie turned up the song slightly, and the lyrics came floating through her mind. She hummed along slowly as she pulled her hair into a loose bun, some small curls falling out of the hair-do. Lizzie's head began to pulse with the lyrics, and Lizzie sighed.

_In Catholic school_

_As vicious as roman rule_

_I got my knuckles bruised_

_By a lady in black_

_I held my tongue_

_As she told me son_

_Fear is the heart of love_

_So I never went back_

Someone was singing in the doorway. It was a lilting sort of sound, and it made Lizzie smile. Lizzie turned to see her sister leaning against the doorframe, and singing in that husky, yet sweet sound Lizzie loved to hear. Jane loved Death Cab for Cutie. She used to date on of the band members, and it was one of the breakups that actually hadn't ended badly. Jane laughed a little bit as Lizzie sauntered towards her, and gave a groan as her head gave a twang of pain.

"Someone's up early." Lizzie commented as Jane handed her coffee, and a few painkillers.

"We have to be. Mother's making us go to a welcome to the neighborhood sort of party." Jane replied, smothering a smile as she saw the look of animated horror on Lizzie's face.

"Jane… we just had a party to get away from her. Why do we have to go back?" Lizzie groaned in annoyance. Smiling, Jane reprimanded her about being kind and Jane then began taking our different dresses to try on.

"I think that you would look stunning with a tan dress. Hmm, or maybe a darker brown… or a deeper red." Jane mused as she lightly set a few gowns down on the queen sized bed.

"Easy for you though, you look good in anything." Lizzie grumbled, clicking her tongue in disapproval at the dresses that her sister had set out for her. When her sister started to cut her off with another speech about being pretty, Lizzie decided to detour her, not wanting her head to hurt worse. She had confirmed from her mother years ago that Jane was the prettier girl of the family. "So, what welcoming party is this?"

"A Mr. Bingley had just moved into the large manor on top of the hill. He's a young lawyer, who shares the large law firm with the Mr. Darcy." Jane answered, tossing the dress lightly to her sister with a small smile.

"The manor no one has lived in for, like, two or three decades?" Lizzie asked as she slipped into the darker one. It was a flowing dress, with straps, and a train that dragged in that elegant sort of way. It brought out the browner coloring in her eyes, so Jane gave it a 7.8.

"Well, it's been refurnished, revamped, aired out, and now there's going to be people living in it." Jane replied as she handed her sister the red one. Lizzie slipped it on, letting the summer dress flare out, and fastened the thick belt that came with it.

"How old is he?" Lizzie demanded, taking off the dress as she stood in the closed closet, and tried on the tan dress. There was no reason to wear the summery dress in the fall.

"I believe he is about 24. Why do you ask?" Jane said, giving a critical eye as Lizzie stepped out of the closet, taking in the light colored dress against the tan skin. 4.3, it blended slightly with her skin color. Wrinkling her nose, Jane then went through the closet, and pulled out a few other dresses, and held up a deep green one. Sighing, Lizzie stepped back into the closet, and her muffled voice floated from the cracks around the door.

"You're 24, Jane. Maybe you two could hook up or something. You have been single for far too long. You're pretty enough to get someone good for awhile." Lizzie mumbled, stepping back out, the green dress hugging the slight curves, and hitting the floor right where the heels would suspend it from dragging. Jane gave a vote of a 8.5.

"Oh Lizzie, you don't know him at all! It could be that he is someone who likes you, and not me." Jane cried, handing her a light blue dress that looked good with curls. Lizzie smirked.

"Honestly Jane, anyone you like is your type. Therefore, anyone is your type. You're a great too apt to like people in general. The whole world is good in your eyes." Lizzie retorted with a smile as she came out in the dress. Jane smiled in happiness at this dress. It hugged any curve that was meant to be hugged, and it added a length to her torso. Lizzie had long legs, but a smaller torso, so this evened everything out perfectly. It was a strapless that had a shawl that had just become fashion.

"I can't disagree to that. I do like people." Jane said, giving the thumbs up. Rolling her eyes, Lizzie changed quickly back into her original apparel, and looked at Jane.

"And what are you going to wear?" She asked, able to act more herself now that her headache was starting to fade slightly. The painkillers were beginning to take effect, and smiling, Lizzie downed the rest of her coffee. Jane produced a black and white dress that flared out at the bottom, and brought out the porcelain skin with its contrasting colors. Lizzie glared in envy at her sister, but smiled, knowing that whoever this Mr. Bingley was, he was going to fall, and fall fast.

"What time?"

"Three hours."

"It's nine in the morning."

"It will be a long party."  
"What if I don't go?"

"Lizzie, you know mother will make you."  
"What if I hide?"

"Mr. Bingley is bringing his close friend, and partner in the business."

"So?"

"PLEASE!!!" Jane begged, widening her blue eyes, and fluttering her eyelashes hopelessly in that way that Lizzie hated. Grumbling, she relented her hold on not going, and decided to have her sister to do her hair. God knew that she needed help with this. Lizzie could do messy buns, or ponytails. Ask her to do something else, and she was hopeless.

Lizzie was a collage student, and studying to be a doctor. She didn't know why exactly why, but lawyers always made Lizzie annoyed, or nervous, or both. Their condescending words and quirked eyebrows always got on her nerves. None the less, Lizzie had to admit that as her hangover from the day before slowly faded –she had thankfully not drank as much as usual- she was strangely getting excited for the party. Lizzie had to admit that she could dance pretty good when she liked the song, or the beat. Guys seemed to think that too… not that she would know or anything…

Jane was also a collage student who was studying to be a therapist. Jane had that compassionate skill that made her very charismatic. The only thing that could be said about her was that she often held in her real feelings, unless she was around those who she had known her whole life. Jane was taller than her sister, by at least a few inches, and had a nice figure. Jane had wavy blonde hair, and a liquid blue eyes that could hold someone's stare for moments on end. It was that stare that often captured the men's hearts, even though she often didn't notice.

After hair was fixed to perfection, makeup was applied slowly, and carefully, they were almost ready to go. They made sure that they did not put on too much, but enough to make the eyes go BAMO! (Inside thing, sorry…). As they put on their dresses, Lizzie had to admit, she looked better than usual. You would have never known she had been drinking the night before. Of course, when she stood next to her sister, she paled in comparison to the porcelain doll next to her, with smooth, even feature, and bright eyes. Grumbling good-naturedly, Lizzie waltzed to the kitchen, where she poured herself more coffee.

"Why are we dressed so nice though? I thought it was just a simple get tog ether." Lizzie asked as Jane gathered a few catch purses, and some jackets.

"The law firm brings in more than 8.5 million dollars a year. These people are no simple collage roomies with any money to their names!" Jane replied smiling as Lizzie tugged at her dress, grumbling as she did so. Lizzie was famous for not liking dresses.

Happily, they had 30 minutes to spare to actually get there, so when they climbed into their car, they were having an exceptionally good time. New Found Glory blared from the speakers, and they joked the whole way. Of course, when they arrived at their family's manor, it was in an uproar, and the sisters knew that they were home.

"KITTY! GIVE ME BACK MY JIMMY CHOO CHUNKS! THEY GO WITH MY-"

"I'M NOT GIVING ANYTHING UP UNTIL YOU GIVE ME BACK MY DULCE & GANANO SUNGALSSES! THEY MATCH MY-"  
"MOTHER, GET THEM OUT OF THE STUDY! THIS PIANO SOLO I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IS-"

"MARY! NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR STUPID PIANO SOLO! MOTHER!!!!"

"GET OVER YOURSELF LYDIA! IF YOU DON'T GIVE ME MY STUFF BACK I WILL-"

"YOU'LL WHAT? I DON'T SEE YOU DOING ANYTHING, OH! Hi Jane, Lizzie! How have you guys been? I wish I could say I'm well, but KITTY… refuses to give me back my Jimmy Choo chunks! That stupid girl…" Lydia muttered as she then walked away from them, gliding up the stairs no doubt to attack her sister for her shoes. Lizzie's headache was coming back suddenly, all of the yelling killing her.

"GIRLS? GIRLS! YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO BE READY, OR WE ARE LEAVING YOU!" A new, louder, higher-pitched voice came into the fray, and Lizzie's headache came back with full force.

"Looks like we're home." Jane commented lightly, gripping Lizzie's shoulder as she grasped her head in annoyance.

"GIRLS!!!! I SAID… JANE!!" Mrs. Bennett cried happily, enveloping her eldest daughter into a tight hug. Lizzie smothered a laugh as Jane patted her mother's back awkwardly, and then Mrs. Bennett gave her other daughter a critical glance.

"Elizabeth." She said calmly, giving a forced smile. Lizzie nodded her head in acknowledgement, and settled herself into one of the chairs the living room held.

"Oh Jane! I am so happy to have you here! You will be sure to round up several bachelors, won't you? Lord knows your sister Elizabeth will do no such thing." Their mother grumbled darkly, and glared at Lizzie in annoyance. Lizzie then proceeded to put her high heeled shoes on the glass coffee table, and smirked, hoping that her headache wouldn't take away the chance to piss her mother off.

"Oh you!" Mrs. Bennett hissed angrily, and waddled off, her dress swishing as she turned the corner leading to the master bedroom.

"You shouldn't provoke her so Lizzie." Jane reprimanded softly, setting down with her usual air of grace. Lizzie stuck her tongue out at her, and waited patiently for the party of shrieking girls to be ready.

Lizzie saw her father come out of his office, reading a letter. Crying out in joy, Lizzie leapt up, and was at her father's side in two strides, giving him a hug in the next instant. Lizzie's father was the only parental figure that didn't mumble about her, or belittle her to her own family or friends. He was an odd sort of man, balding slightly, but his business, and his daughter Lizzie was what mattered most to him. Sad to say, but the only reason why he was married to his wife, was because of a family crisis she had, and it made it to where he could attend Yale without having to save up the money for it. Needless to say, the love they shared would not have sprouted without it. Mr. Bennett usually went for the silent, studious type; not the loud brassy girls.

"Oh, Lizzie! So happy to have you here… though, you're not here for long eh?" He commented in his scholarly voice, hinting the clothes she wore.

"No, we're about to leave actually. Aren't you coming though?" She asked in her hopeful voice. Laughing, Mr. Bennett replied that he had no wish, nor the time to go.

"No time to go? Are you quite sure?" Lizzie asked incredulously as she gazed at him skeptically. Hiding from her gaze, Lizzie's dad buried his nose in his letter, and walked away quickly, back to his office. Laughing, he walked back, and kissed his daughter on top of the head. Lizzie smiled good-naturedly at him, and turned around to see the rest of the family grabbing their jackets, and her mother glaring at her angrily.

"I don't see why he favors you so much. You aren't anything interesting. You're simply the second born is all." She muttered, irritated. Lizzie shrugged, and walked out to the car, the rest of them following swiftly, Lydia and Kitty chatting about the boys they will meet and talk to, Jane conversing with her mother about what she has been up to, and Mary in the back of the group, glaring at the sidewalk.

The ride to the Lizzie's friend's house (Charlotte Lucas) was quick, and surprisingly silent. Kitty sported her glasses on her head, and Lydia was tightening the strap on her chunks. Mary glared out of the window, and Mrs. Bennett dozed as Jane drove. Usually, it was an utter mess as Kitty and Lydia struggled to finish putting on makeup, or clothes. Mary would be rambling loudly about her latest piano piece, and Mrs. Bennett would be shrieking about finding hot, rich husbands. Jane would grimly smile as her mother screeched, and Lizzie would press her face against the window, trying to imagine herself in a normal family.

When they arrived, a man in a tuxedo opened their doors, and took the keys to the car, driving it to a parking lot where it would be cleaned quickly, and left. The ladies were ushered into the house by another man in another tuxedo, and they were announced to the room.

"Nice to know someone cares about their guests." Mrs. Bennett nodded in approval as several people looked up, their expensive clothes glinting as a sequin or a jewel caught the light just right. A group of people were dancing, and laughing as speakers played a romantic song. Others were chatting amiably with each their friends, and hosts. Lizzie knew immediately that the guests of honor had not arrived yet. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas were watching the door of the elegant ballroom like a pair of hawks, waiting for them to arrive. Mrs. Lucas indeed looked like a hawk, her pointed features, and beady eyes glaring predatorily at anyone. Of course, their daughter, Charlotte Lucas, was not so stupidly occupied. She, instead, decided to attack Lizzie in a bear-hug.

"OH LIZZIE! I knew you would come!" Charlotte cried happily, squeezing the life out of her best friend. Lizzie mumbled something incoherently, and Charlotte pulled her at an arms length for inspection.

"What, A, CUTE, DRESS!" She practically shrieked the last part, delighted. She glared enviously at Lizzie though, when seeing her hair done up go elegantly. Charlotte's family was wealthy, but most times, people wanted wealth, and beauty. Charlotte had wealth, but no beauty. She dressed nice, but the clothes did not flattery to her. She tried to do makeup, and it brought attention to her acne. She was 27 years old, and still lived in her parents home, unmarried, and slightly dismal at the fact.

Jane walked up, her blue eyes lighting up when she saw Charlotte. A large group of boys eyed her hungrily, the bravest one daring to call out to her. Jane either ignored him well, or didn't notice. Lizzie knew that it was probably the fact that she was oblivious when she had her mind on the task at hand, but what was the task?

"Charlotte! How are you doing?" Jane greeted, giving a warm hug. Charlotte proceeded to fill them in on her latest paintings, which were turning out very well. She was just getting to the part where her little sister sat on one of the still life ones, when there was a hushed silence over the crowd.

"Little did I know that that painting that Maria had sat on actually sold! I labeled it, 'Natural Life.' Lizzie? What's the matter?" She asked, suddenly annoyed no one was listening to her. (See? I told you…)

"Announcing Mr. Charles Bingley, Mr. William Darcy, Miss Caroline Bingley, and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst." The man next to the door called, his booming voice reaching the tiniest crevices of the room. Next to him stood the wealthiest people of the room, easily. One was tall, his red hair a flaming color that stood out against his black tux. He was slightly pale, but green eyes gazed at everyone with friendliness.

The man next to him was taller than him by a few inches, and was even more handsome. His raven black hair stood in a ruffled mess, but still managed to look business-like. He had a clear, olive skinned complexion, and dark blue eyes. That last fact was overlooked by most because at a distance, they looked an angry black. He sported a pinstripe suit, and a haughty expression. He gazed at the room with disgust.

The two ladies were pretty, if they didn't glare at everyone with sneers on their faces. Both were skinny, and tall. They could have been twins, except for the fact that one of them had the tell tale lines of someone who was going to grow old very soon. They had piercing green eyes, and the same flaming red hair as the first man. Really, the younger looking one could have been a model or something, the way she held herself and such.

The other man was not someone to look at and desire to know. He resembled a toad in a suit, short, stubby, and fat. You couldn't tell what color his eyes were, for they seemed lifeless and colorless themselves. His hair was wispy, but a light blonde. His face was red, and flabby already, as if the walk up to the doors had drained him of energy.

"Who is who Charlotte?" Lizzie asked as she craned her neck to see. She singled out the dark haired man, who's long and lean body was exactly what attracted her. _If only his gaze wasn't so brooding, _She thought as she looked him over again. The cute guy next to him looked more Jane's type.

"The man with the red hair is Charles Bingley. The man next to him is Mr. Darcy, and his partner in the law firm. The two ladies are Charles' sisters, and the man is Lousia's husband." She rapped out, laughing as she saw Jane looking at Mr. Bingley, instantly attracted.

"Charlotte, come with us to greet our guests of honor." Mrs. Lucas ordered, grabbing her daughter's arm, and leading her unceremoniously towards the descending group.

"Come with me." Charlotte hissed, grabbing Lizzie, who in turn, grabbed Jane. The chain link of people continued across the room, and came to a stop as Mr. Lucas was shaking hands with the man in the pinstripe suit.

"Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, you both know my daughter, Charlotte, and my wife." He rumbled, sweeping a hand in her direction. "These are two of the Bennett daughters, the oldest one Jane, and the second oldest, Elizabeth."

"Pleasure to meet you!" Charles Bingley said cheerily, putting a hand out to shake. Jane shook hands delicately, a faint blush creeping onto her face. Elizabeth then in turn shook hands, but noticed with humor, that Charles was still looking at her sister. Mr. Darcy merely looked at them, and gave a brisk nod, before walking off in the direction that the other three in the party went off to.

"Jane Bennett… your father is the owner of Bennett Editing?" Charles asked, unconsciously dismissing the other two girls. Jane smiled and nodded.

"He was not able to make it tonight though. He had other business to attend to." Jane replied, tossing a smile at Lizzie. Lizzie smirked, and walked away, dragging Charlotte with her as they heard him then ask if Jane wanted to dance.

"They look so cute together!" Charlotte exclaimed as she saw them walk together to the dance floor. Lizzie smiled and nodded, surveying them as they began to do a waltz, both knowing their footing and fluidity rather well.

"Now, to find men of our own." Lizzie mused, glancing at Charlotte laughing. Charlotte grinned, and pointed to the Mr. Darcy man, who was at this point, looking right at Lizzie. Lizzie glanced at him, and gave a nod of acknowledgement. Mr. Darcy did not return the greeting. Instead, he turned, and walked towards the younger lady. They exchanged some words, and she delightedly took his offered hand; he then proceeded to take her to the dance floor, where he danced in that same, and formal sort of way that he had entered the room in.

"Doesn't seem too nice, does he?" Lizzie asked, smiling. "He actually looks positively miserable." She added as an afterthought.

"He owns half of Derbyshire, and Pemberly." Charlotte offered as they watched him swing the model around the dance floor with a resigned grace. _Ooh… A Brit is he?_ Lizzie thought with delight. She loved British accents. They just sounded so interesting to listen to.

"The miserable half?" Lizzie drolly, deciding to say that instead of her real thoughts. Charlotte laughed, and pretended to scold her properly.

Most of the evening was spent like this. Every now and then a guy would come up and ask Lizzie for a dance, but most guys were scarce this night, so you were considered lucky to have danced at all. Jane spent most of the night talking with Charles Bingley, and his younger sister, Caroline. Mr. Darcy spent some time with them, but other than that, consumed his time by avoiding all contact with anyone else, and strutting about the room.

Lizzie had a neutral feeling for him at first. But the turning point was when she dropped her ring that she fiddled with when she was bored. It fell under the refreshment table; they both bent down to pick it up, and at that precise moment, Charles walked up to William Darcy.

"C'mon Darcy! I have to see you dance! I hate to see you walk around the room like you've lost your voice, its stupid! You have to dance!" He exclaimed, clapping Darcy's shoulder cheerily.

"You know that I won't. Your sisters are either engaged, or too tired. There is no one else here that it wouldn't be a punishment to dance with." He replied, his voice cold and distant. Lizzie looked at Charlotte with surprise on her features. Charlotte pursed her lips, but shrugged.

"You've got to be kidding! I've never seen so many beautiful girls in my entire life!!" Charles protested indignantly.

"You're dancing with the only pretty girl. Even so, she smiles too much." Darcy commented in an annoyed voice.

"She is an angel, I'm sure! But her sister, Elizabeth, you met her earlier… she was rather pretty! I could have you introduced-"

"You call that pretty? Honestly, Charles, I'm astounded. She could not even be acknowledged as average. I wouldn't bother to dance with her for all the money in the world. Besides, I don't have the time dance with flittering, stupid girls. You better return to 'your angel' and enjoy her company, for I don't think you're enjoying mine." Mr. Darcy snapped, turning away. Lizzie's eyes grew wide, and she stood up, about to say something. Charlotte grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her back down right as Charles looked over where she had been standing.

"Suit yourself mate, I'm only saying, you look like a grump." Charles said as he walked away, thinking that the flash of movement across the refreshment table looked oddly like Jane's sister standing up angrily. That thought escaped him though, when he asked Jane to dance again.

"That… PRICK! Honestly, the longest speech he makes all evening, and it's about me! It was nothing good, oh no, it was simply stating how average I look! But, wait! No, I'm far below average!" Lizzie fumed as Charlotte dragged her away. Lizzie turned to give the man in question a scathing glare, but his back was turned.

"Lizzie, don't take his words to heart. We all know that you're pretty." Charlotte said, trying to calm her down.

"THAT IDIOT! He has no idea who he is dealing with! I could KILL HIM!" Lizzie vented as she sat down, swinging her dress around her as to not rumple it.

"I have no doubt that you could kill him." Charlotte agreed, setting in the chair next to her. They then spent a few moments trying to decide a way to bring about the demise of William Darcy.

William hated balls. He hated the way everyone sized up his fortune as if he was an out of date car that was still in its prime. He was looked upon as cute, or hot at first, but when he heard one lady whisper that she would bag him for her daughter, all thoughts of being accommodating disappeared instantly.

Of course, there was one girl who didn't seem interested in him at all. She was rather pretty, but dulled in comparison to her sister, Jane. She was tall, and skinny, with curly brown hair. Her eyes were green, but wait! When she turned her gaze to him, they were a dark brown. She gave a smile that reached her eyes, causing them to sparkle unnaturally. She merely gave him a proper greeting, and went back to her friend, who was looking at him hungrily, like she was about to jump him then and there. She had no hopes of beauty.

He had kept an eye on the one girl who didn't have her eye on him. She was talking and laughing with her friend, and her eyes looked a dark blue. Intrigued, Darcy watched as she turned slightly, and they were green again! Fascinated, he got slightly closer, but her friend then pointed at him inconspicuously. The girl then looked over at him, and his insides caught fire. Her gaze held him, until he broke the contact, and walked over to Caroline.

"Oh, Mr. Darcy! We were just talking about you!" She purred, grasping his arm in her fake nails. Darcy winced, but managed to keep a straight face.

"Really, and would you be able to tell me what about?" He asked sharply, glancing at her sharply.

"We were wondering if you were going to ask one of us to dance." Caroline smirked at him, eyes gleaming. _Not the same gleam in that other girl's eyes,_ He thought to his horror. _It shouldn't matter to me, _He then thought shrewdly, _she's a simple, middle class girl (_he would find later that it was middle upper class) _who isn't worth __my__ attention. I merely need to keep my mind to other things._

Mr. Darcy sighed, knowing that if he now didn't ask Caroline to dance, he would seem impolite, so he quickly asked her, and took her to the dance floor.

Of course, this thought process of his is what caused him to speak so ill of her when Charles asked him to dance with her. _She's not worth a __Darcy's__ time,_ he told himself firmly, walking away from the table. Of course, when he looked back, he saw to his horror that that Charlotte girl was dragging the girl he had just been talking about away from the very table he had had just been. He could tell that she was seething, because every now and then she would she would throw an angry glance around the room, and toss an angry hand in the air.

The Charlotte girl set her friend down, and began whispering urgently to her. Lizzie gave a chilling grin, and said something back. Charlotte sat down, and began talking with a calmer face as Lizzie's face began to grow more animated.

But why did Darcy care? Darcy didn't care! He didn't care that she had heard, at least now she knew how people thought of her! He didn't care that her eyes changed color with the lights, or that her anger was directed towards him? Who was she to care? She was a nobody, and with that in mind, Darcy strolled off to talk to Bingley, and the very girl's sister, Jane.

"But don't you think that if you limit your classes, you limit your ability to learn more than one certain thing?" Jane asked as they talked about her major, which was a therapist. Darcy's argument was that she should choose which category of therapy she wanted to study, instead of studying all of therapy itself.

"It would get confusing though, to have the knowledge on how to help a pregnant teenager, and then next try to remember how to give therapy to a middle aged depressed man." Darcy retaliated.

"Yes, but a pregnant teen is probably just as depressed as the middle aged man." Came a new voice floating over the loud talk of other groups. Darcy turned to see the girl he had slighted earlier.

"Lizzie, you've met Charles Bingley, and William Darcy." Jane said politely, giving her sister a hug. Charles beamed as they shook hands again, and Darcy glared as she simply gave him a look that said quite clearly, "I hate you".

"Yes, we've both met Lizzie! But please, Jane, call me Charlie! Charles seems so… old-fashioned! And do call William Will, or Darcy. William takes too long." Charlie exclaimed, smiling as he then shook Charlotte's hand as she walked up, glancing warily at Lizzie.

"Why would she be as depressed as the middle aged, depressed man?" Darcy asked quietly, raising an eyebrow. Lizzie rose to the challenge.

"Why, because she's pregnant! Any teenage girl will feel panic, and become depressed because of the weigh she's lifting alone."

"She would not be lifting it alone."

"Oh, so someone else is sharing the pregnancy with her?" Lizzie sneered, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm merely suggesting-" Darcy started to protest.

"Oh, you're delicious! Please, stay! No one's challenged Darcy like this in awhile!" Charlie cried happily, clapping Darcy again on the shoulder, who then turned to him, and glared. Lizzie smirked, and then directed her next statement at the man himself.

"Not for all the money in the world." She said maliciously, rolled her eyes, turned to Charlotte, who looked so surprised, her mouth hung open. Jane looked confused, but Charlie was so shocked, he also hung his mouth open. Lizzie grasped Charlotte's arm, and they walked away, leaving a very embarrassed, horrified, and red Darcy in their wake.

YAY! I'm done with chapter one, and I must say, it turned out better than I planned! You know the drill, and honestly, just R&R if you like! Now, I will work on Chapter two, whether you like it or not! That's just how much I love myself.


	2. A Pair of Very, VERY Fine Eyes

Thank you all who reviewed! It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! BUT! I am an impatient person, and for some reason seem to think a space that doesn't even equal 36 hours is enough for me to think only a couple of people have read, or liked it. But like I said, I'm selfish when it comes to stories, so I will keep writing… or typing… for my benefit only! YAY ME!

"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride- where there is real superiority of mind, pride will always be under good relation." Chapter 11.

Lizzie jolted awake as the shaking from the car stopped. It was around 7:00 in the evening, and she was bushed. The party had ended around 6:00, so she had stayed around to help the servants and Charlotte clean up the brunt of the mess, before finally leaving.

"Did you see how that girl hung on him? Hilarious!" Charlotte cried happily, tossing a few cups into a trash can on wheels.

"He seemed to be enjoying himself." Lizzie replied, smiling as she remembered the pained expression he held.

"Aren't you mad though, that he did that?"

"Really, not much. At first, I was pretty mad, but now it seems really silly." Lizzie tossed the remark over her shoulder as she tossed out a few more bottles of champagne. Charlotte smiled as she saw her friend's straight back, and head held high. That was Lizzie for you though. Charlotte smiled as she remembered when someone had called both of them ugly. Lizzie had hit the boy so hard, that his glasses had been broken. She then told him to never call her friend ugly again. Her friend? Lizzie was like that though. She stayed angry when people insulted her friends, but never stayed angry about it when it was her. Let her be mad for a minute or two, and then she was fine.

Thankfully, she hadn't run into Mr. Darcy again, for he seemed rather interested in ignoring everyone, and puffing out whenever he heard the word money. He avoided her, and she avoided him. The rest of the evening was spent talking to mere acquaintances like they were friends, and she ended up dancing a few more times too.

Jane spent the rest of the evening dancing with Charlie, and then talking with Charlie. She spent a little bit of time with his sisters, talking and laughing awkwardly. Jane drove them back to her mother's house, where the next events unfolded.

"We had a lovely time dear! Immediately after Mr. Bingley met our dear Jane-" (she then proceeded to put a think and chubby hand on Jane's shoulder) – "They spent almost the rest of the night with each other! There was no one else he could be happier with! Except for the one time he asked that **nasty** Charlotte Lucas to dance! That vexed me greatly, but no matter! He then danced with our dear Jane! I always knew her beauty would bring her into the higher societies." She rambled, not even noticing that her husband was dozing softly, and not even listening.

"Mother, Charlotte is NOT nasty. She's one of my closest friends." Lizzie snapped, not too tired to grouch at her mother. Jane shot a warning look at her, but merely leaned across her chaise, and flipped her sister the bird. Lizzie smirked, but said nothing more.

"I don't see how you can be friends with that… that wench!" Mrs. Bennett grumbled, but her husband woke up, startled at the word wench, and glanced around blearily.

"His friend though… he wasn't nice at all." Lydia chirped, glancing devilishly at Lizzie. Lizzie wearily glared at her, but Lydia merely smiled, and began filing her nails.

"Oh yes! He insulted Lizzie, yes he did!" Kitty squealed, much to the displeasure of Mary, who had succeeded in falling asleep.

"He insulted Lizzie did he…?" Her father asked sharply, suddenly awake. Her mother glared at him, and then Lizzie for being so close.

"It was nothing of importance dear." Mrs. Bennett dismissed it quickly, "Really, he shouldn't have danced with Charlotte, it ruined his image."

"Mother, don't talk about Charlotte like that-"

"Dear, if some man thinks he can slight my Lizzie without having repercussions, then both he and you are wrong."

"Dad, really, I can easily forget that incident! It's nothing more than simple folly!"

"Mother, we really should be going-"

"Lizzie, she really is ugly-"

"HAHA! Lizzie's seeing-

"SHUTUP LYDIA!"

"Lizzie don't you dare-"

"Dear, I think we should go to bed." Came the calm idea from Mr. Bennett. Everyone went quiet as they saw him stand up, grab his wife gently, and lead her away, tossing a wink to Lizzie as he went. Lizzie was actually standing up, heading towards the door. Jane grabbed her, and led her gently out of the door, that was held open by an annoyed and sleepy Mary.

Once outside, Lizzie began to laugh a little bit at the stupid situation she was in. Jane laughed with her, and they joked about it, laughing when their father finally woke up from his nap. When the discussion turned to their mother, Lizzie went slightly silent though. It wasn't an angry silence, it was more of a thoughtful silence that made her seem almost brooding in a way.

It was no lie that Lizzie was jealous of the bond that Jane and her mother shared. Jane knew that Lizzie would rather be the one who was loved by her mother (scolded for not being married) but loved. Instead, she was the hated one who could never do anything right. She took too long getting into collage, she wore the wrong dress, she wasn't as pretty, she never got along well with others, she breathed too loud, and most importantly, didn't want a husband to tie her down to any one place.

"Lizzie, you know you're better than that." Jane said softly. Lizzie blinked and looked at her.

"What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Oh, nothing…" Jane mused lightly, realizing that she once again accidentally answered what she was thinking. Lizzie's mouth opened and closed, and she smiled.

"You saw the look on dad's face when Kitty blurted that out?" Lizzie said, smiling as she took a few deep breaths, the tension of the night slowly ebbing away. Jane smiled good-naturedly, and squeezed her sister's shoulder comfortingly.

Jane turned on some music, and Death Cab for Cutie came on, the CD playing lightly. The gentle tunes slowly eased Lizzie into a stupor, and then a light, jolting sleep. Jane glanced over every now and then, and would smile every time she saw her sister take a deep breath, and jolt awake slightly at the smallest turn. She loved her sister very much, but something was still bothering her. Why would Darcy say that about her sister? In everyway was her sister beautiful, so why would he make such comments? It seemed like he was at least cordial around everyone else, so why would he say something about her sister?

Sighing, she turned up her favorite song, and let the melody play around with her head. Humming lightly, she tossed a pillow at her sister, and watched with slight amusement as Lizzie half awake, half asleep, pull it over her head, and moan in annoyance.

Darcy sighed as the limousine glided smoothly through a turn, grumbling silently as Caroline repeated her night's unfolding.

"Really, these people have no idea what fashion is! The cocktail dress someone wore looked like last year's fashion!" She snickered as Louisa giggled delicately. Charles glanced over at them with surprise flitting across his features.

"I thought that girl was rather pretty." He said defensively. Darcy raised an eyebrow in his direction, but didn't say anything. He was much better occupied with the thought of very pretty eyes. Even avoiding her, he managed to see her flit around a corner, laughing with her friend. A couple times, he had seen Charlotte glancing at him, hiding mocking laughter. It seemed that after speaking with the girl in question, they began to joke about it. _That merely goes to show another reason why she isn't worth my time._ He thought darkly.

"The prettiest girl there had to be Jane." Charlie stated firmly, bringing Darcy back from his musings.

"Oh yes, Jane is a sweet girl. We must better get to know her if we really want any entertainment while we're here." Caroline said as she smiled, showing too many teeth for Charlie's comfort.

"I heard Caroline, that her sister, Elizabeth, was also considered a beauty too." Louisa said with a hinting smirk.

"What do you say to this, Mr. Darcy?" Caroline crooned, drinking from a wine glass, closing the mini fridge, and looking at him pointedly. Mr. Darcy sighed, looking away from the window, and glancing at the group.

"I would soon call her mother a wit." He said smoothly, looking back out of the window. That was true in itself, for he had noticed that the girl's mother had no social graces, or any brain for a proper conversation. She reminded him of a tabby, eying everyone up for their money before talking. She shied away from the Lucas' when the guests of honor had arrived, and had set out to meet them, and talk with them.

"Oh Mr. Darcy you savage!" Louisa shrieked, and Caroline clapped her perfectly manicured hand over her mouth. Darcy stiffened at the word "savage" but calmed down slightly when he saw that it was in good humor. He let Charlie ramble on about what an angel Jane was, for he knew it to be nothing but a crush. In New York, it had been Lacy who was the beauty; in Atlanta, it was Rachel; in Los Angelos, Bradie; and when they visited London again for a year, it was Michelle. Charlie fell in and out of love like a fashion designer does with his new styles. Darcy knew he had nothing to worry about, with both of their predicaments. He would never see the second youngest Bennett daughter, and when Charlie and them left to check in on his Derbyshire estate, they wouldn't see the oldest Bennett daughter again either, and that was the end of that.

"Jane, would you like to dance?" Charlie asked with a smile as Jane (blushing lightly) accepted. It had been a week since they had seen the entire party of people. Now, her aunt and uncle were throwing a party. It was a modest one, to say the least, but it was a less uptight dress. More cocktail dress, and less elegant. Lizzie liked less elegant. At least she wasn't dulled too much in comparison to her sister.

"Oh Lizzie, look at my Jane. She really is pulling him in farther than I thought she would. Always doing what's best." Mrs. Bennett crooned, taking a small plate, and a few snacks off of a tray.

"Really mother, you have to admit, she probably really likes him." Lizzie offered the statement, hugging her mother around the shoulders. It was times like these when they got along. They both agreed that Jane was the prettier one, and the one who snagged the guys. It was why or how she got them is how they differed.

"Jane is a beauty indeed! The interns are basically pining for her! We should hold a party that let's one get to know another, just so that they can all meet her!" Mr. Forester exclaimed. Mr. Forester was a man of a large business of models. He held many different companies that brought in workers by the bucketful. The pay was good, very good in fact, but they had to be trained to walk the walk, before they could make the bucks.

"Oh yes, do hold a party at least! It would be very beneficial to your models if you actually had them entertained for awhile. Their minds are so fluttery that you would need someone like Jane to keep them company! Don't you think so Lizzie?" Mrs. Bennett asked with a delicious gleam in her eye when she gazed at the very steamy guys lined up by the speakers.

"Oh yes, they are a lot of fun. And I'm sure that Lydia would enjoy it very much." Lizzie said with a discreet hint in the direction of her sister. Lydia was at this point, flirting, and squealing amongst the models, many of them watching her avidly.

Charlotte walked past, and gave a significant poke. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, and then walked after her slowly, but with an assured pace. When she got to the refreshment table, Charlotte pulled her aside, and whispered discreetly, "Your Mr. Darcy has had his eye on you all night, Lizzie. If it was not you, I would not have said anything, but…there he goes again!"

Lizzie looked across the table to see that Darcy was in fact looking at her, his dark eyes searching hers for something. Lizzie felt slightly open, and vulnerable when he gave that look, and it made her uncomfortable. _Is this the look that a lawyer gives when he's waiting for someone to confess?_ She thought to herself, her eyebrow raised in challenge.

"He was standing right next to you when you and your mother talked of another party. He very covertly managed to follow us all the way over here!" She said out of the corner of her mouth.

"Did you not think it slightly interesting, the way we tried to goad Mr. Forester into giving us a ball, Darcy?" Lizzie asked, drawing his attention from his deep thoughts, and back into the real world.

"Very well done, but every woman's attention is drawn when a party is mentioned." Darcy replied, his deep monotone voice drawing her attention is a most interesting way. He had the accent, but Darcy didn't have the "lingo" that most British used. Interesting, very interesting. Lizzie smiled at this, and replied vaguely, "You are severe on us."

Have you ever seen such a saucy behavior? Darcy couldn't believe his mind, and could only raise an eyebrow is suggestion, and walked off slowly. Lizzie smiled at this, and turned towards Charlotte to see her trying to cover a stifling laugh. Lizzie kept it in mind to avoid his boring behavior.

However long she managed to avoid him however, it was in vain. Jane, Charlie, and Lizzie were talking with Charlotte, when Lizzie spied her sister dancing in a rather suggestive behavior. Knowing that someone was going to get in trouble later if her mother saw, Lizzie set off to put a stop to it. On her way though, she was stopped by Charlotte Lucas' dad, who was talking with Darcy.

"Oh Mr. Darcy, though I know you don't like dancing, I hope you'd take her as a desirable partner, Lizzie is a very good dancer, and I'm sure you wouldn't mind for one song." Mr. Lucas said brightly, grabbing Lizzie's hand, and presented it to Mr. Darcy. Lizzie's eyes grew wide, and she yanked her hand back.

"I hope that you don't think I came all the way over here for a partner to dance with!" She exclaimed, taking a slight step back, almost daring herself to roll her eyes, but stopped just in time.

"I hope you'd do me the honor of dancing with me for one song, Elizabeth." Darcy asked, surprised, but not disgusted at the thought. Lizzie gave a smile, and was about to say no, when her sister walked past, and said, "Of course she'd be happy to! Lizzie is all politeness."

Lizzie glared at her sister, promising to put something nasty and wet in her bed… very soon. Darcy looked at her with those same eyes, that flashed hopeful for a moment, (she chose to deny she saw that look later) and then went entirely blank.

"Er… of course." She mumbled, taking his hand, and he led her slowly out to the dance floor. Her hand burned when she swung her slowly into the waltz position, and then let them fly across the dance floor.

"What's going on with them dancing together?" Charlotte hissed in Jane's ear as she saw what was going on. Jane smiled simply, and replied, "Love."

"But she hates him!" Charlotte retorted, folding her arms at the thought. Jane once again simply smiled, and then gave a soft laugh as Charles grabbed her, and whisked her onto the dance floor.

Will didn't know what to do. He was glad that he was dancing with her, but she didn't seem so. His whole body felt warm, and a tingling where her hands were placed made him go crazy. Darcy looked around the room with a slight contentment, until he realized that he should probably say something to ease the tension he felt radiating off of her.

"So…" He began awkwardly, raised eyebrows, and stiff demeanor. Lizzie laughed, and his heart hammered in his breast. _Can she hear it?_ He thought, panicked. After reassuring himself, he asked, "And what, may I ask, is so funny?" She merely looked at him, and replied, "I think that you can not base a conversation on, 'so,' Darcy."

"Oh really." Was all he could respond with. The song ended thankfully, and Lizzie left his as quickly as she had come. With that departure, Darcy felt slightly left out and lacking.

"Do you think you could come over?" Charlie asked Jane over the phone the next day. "Caroline and Louisa really want your company tonight."

Lizzie made kissing faces at her as she dried a dish. Stifling laughter, Jane replied that she'd be delighted, and hung up after brief farewells.

"Is he going to be there?" Charlotte asked with excitement as she and Lizzie jumped around the front room of their apartment, laughing. Jane blushed a furious red, and looked down.

"No, I don't think he's going to be there. Will Darcy and him are going to be elsewhere, looking at their business in a different city." She managed to reply, looking back at the dishwasher, and pressing the start button.

"Well that just won't do! You're going to have to get sick, or spend the night or something!" Came a high pitched shriek from the doorway. Lizzie's ears hurt, and she didn't have to turn around to know that her mother had heard the whole thing, and she still didn't know the meaning of privacy.

"Hello mother." Jane said brightly from the kitchen, her eyes alight. She cleared her throat, as her mother came and gave her a critical eye.

"You'll need to change. And you will walk there from my house." She decided curtly, before ordering Lizzie to go and get an outfit for Jane.

"The Prada or the Chanel, Lizzie. I see those girls dressed in that mess all the time." Charlotte whispered as Mrs. Bennett began to lay out a game plan to Jane. Lizzie tossed a pitiful look to her sister, and ran to her room, picking up the speed as she looked through her sister's wardrobe, picking out a pair of Pucci shoes, dress slacks from Valentino, and a shirt and jacket from Chanel.

The Bennett's father pulled in a lot of money from his business, and because of that, they pulled in the very nice designer clothes, and were well met by many of the designers themselves. Taking the fact that the Bingley's have probably seen and talked over dinner with these designers, Lizzie took a special care in picking out sheik, but fashionable.

"Lizzie, are you ready?" Jane asked as she walked into the room, and picked up the shirt, worry was plain on her face as she slipped into it, and tied the halter. She pulled on the jacket, and then pushed her sister lightly out of the room.

"And maybe you can convince Lizzie to get a new boyfriend!" Mrs. Bennett called from the living room, watching T.V. Lizzie sat down on the arm of the chair, and watched as the talk show reported on the high school drop outs.

"Freddy, I have a lawyer here, and he is actually here to help you! He wants you to see how it is beneficial for you to graduate!" The lady cried with enthusiasm, and swept an arm to a well dressed man, his hair a businesslike mess.

"The thing is, is that if you don't graduate, than you don't get to look like me." Mr. Darcy said, his lips forming into what was supposed to be a smile. The people off-stage laughed, and he looked at them severely before continuing.

"Dropping out of school is fine. If you want to look like you've just stepped out of a trash bin, and smell like it as well. It wouldn't be the best look for anyone I'm sure." He said, and once again, paused as the audience laughed. With a sigh, he continued. "If you do graduate, you get money. I know how you like money! What person doesn't like money?" Again, a pause for laughter, "If you graduate high school, and then collage as well, you get what someone really wants, which is money." He leaned back slightly in his chair, and watched the crowd clap, and laugh.

"Is that what you really believe? Is all you want, Darcy, is money?" The boy asked with a smirk, slouching slightly more in his chair.

"Who's asking the questions here, Freddy?!" The hostess lady asked kindly, and more laughter.

"I'm just saying, Darcy, is that who wants a world where people only want money? Is money all that really matters? Are you even married?" Freddy asked with a laugh, and rolled his eyes. Lizzie looked at the screen, her eyes twinkling as she waited for his answer.

"If you want to get what you want, Freddy, you need money to buy it. It's easier to get the necessities when you have money. It's much easier to buy something than it is to steal it." Darcy replied hotly, raising an eyebrow. Lizzie snorted, and rolled her eyes, before turning to see her mother grumbling.

"Such a snooty, ill bred, not at all handsome, oh Lizzie, I'm glad he slighted you because if he didn't, you might have liked him." She said angrily, glancing at her daughter before looking back at the T.V. screen.

"Believe me mother, I don't think I would have ever liked him." Lizzie replied, as the camera zoomed in on Darcy, and then a smiling Freddy. The host was brought back into the picture, and she gave a laugh as she said that they'd be back after the credits.

They didn't talk much as the commercials sped through, and when Jane was ready, she begged Lizzie to come with her as far as their house on Longbourne DR. With a smile Lizzie said she'd be delighted. Only for her sister though. That much was obvious.

The ride there was quiet, save for the quiet mutterings of plans to grasp Charlie in her hands for good. Jane gave ever quieter interjections every now and then, but other than that, it was an awkward silence that was broken once by the violent coughing of Elizabeth.

"Oh Elizabeth, stop your violent coughing, it grates on my nerves!" Mrs. Bennett snapped as she drove, glaring in the rearview mirror at her daughter.

"Am I cutting into your orders for Jane?" Lizzie asked with a smile, restraining a cough.

"No, no you aren't. I was finished a while back, really, you should pay attention." Mrs. Bennett replied as she turned on the music in order to drown out her daughter's cough.

"Now you may cough Lizzie. Mother can't hear you!" Jane said kindly as she turned to look at her captured sister. Lizzie smiled, and then gave such a loud, racking cough, that it made Mrs. Bennett jump in her seat, and swerve violently as she turned to look at her daughter, and scold her.

"Mother, the road!" Jane cried, grabbing the steering wheel, and guiding the car back into the lines. Lizzie smothered the impulse to burst into laugher.

Lizzie was sitting, curled up in her spinning chair, her Juicy (brand) sweats, and puma tennis shoes showing her relaxed thoughts for the day. She clicked on a few avatars, and saw her e-mail pop up. Worried slightly seeing it was from Jane (who had never come back from Netherfield the night before), she clicked on it, and read-

_Lizzie,_

_Don't expect me back, for it seems that I've caught a sickness on my walk along the beach to Netherfield. The beach was pretty, with coloring along the sky that would take your breath away, oh Lizzie, but it appears that I didn't notice the down pour of rain, or the abrupt cold that left me shivering by the time I got here! Charlie arrived here and demanded kindly that I stay until better, but I disagree. They are being so kind to me, for besides a headache, a sore throat, a lot of nausea, and a high fever, there's nothing really the matter. Don't fear for my health, I'll be perfectly fine._

_Love,_

_Jane_

Lizzie read the e-mail three times before it registering. With a yelp, she jumped up, ran down the stairs of her mom's house, and into her father's study.

"Dad!" Lizzie exclaimed as she opened the door, and stumbled inside. In the room sat her mother, and her sister, Lydia. Lizzie's dad was apparently in the middle of a lecture, because they all looked up, his face grave, her mother's tense, and annoyed, and Lydia's filled with boredom.

"Yes, Lizzie? I don't think it's something simple, you seem quite flustered." He commented, a hint of amusement on his face.

"Jane's sick! She's at Charlie's house, and he says she can't leave until she's better!"

"I knew this would happen! Don't worry about it, Lizzie this was my plan at the beginning!" Her mother said sharply, looking at her like she was stupid. Lydia peeked at her, and flashed a look of gratitude. Lizzie waved it off, and pressed, "You planned on her to become deathly ill?" She snapped.

"She's not deathly ill, and you don't need to worry, it makes you look the fool. She won't die from this Lizzie, you mark my words."

"Maybe not from this, but she might from the shame of having a mother who lets her rampage around in the cold, and freezing rain." Lizzie retorted, and tossing a wink to her dad, flounced out of the study, and then out of the house.

The sun was rising slightly, nervous it seemed from the rampaging storm that Lizzie had once again slept through like a rock. Reaching into her pocket, she produced an ipod, and turned it on, letting "Bowling for Soup" blast through the earphones. With a smile, and a hop in her step, Lizzie set off, humming lightly as she did.

_I almost got drunk at school at fourteen_

_Where I almost made out with the Homecoming queen_

_Who almost went on, to be Miss Texas_

_But lost to a slut, with much bigger breast-es_

_I almost moved on to L.A_

_Where I was almost famous for almost a day_

Lizzie took a short-cut along the beach, and gasped. Jane had not been joking when she said that it really was a beautiful sight. The sun rise (most like the sun set) was magnificent, its swirling colors causing Lizzie to stop. The hues, pinks, yellows, and a hint of green tipping the edges slightly shook out any nerves she had been feeling, and she stood there for quite some time. The sun rise was fast, and quick, the eager rays wanting to set high in the sky before it was covered with clouds again.

Laughing, Lizzie burst into a jog, feeling much more exuberant than before. At one point, she veered into the water, getting her shoes sandy, and wet, but she ignored this, and kept going. Her ipod blared Boys Like Girls, and she turned left, jumped a fence, and landed in slippery mud.

"Hmm…" She mused as she saw her puma shoes covered in mud, sand flecked on the shoelaces, and soaked. Shrugging, she saw the house, and deciding to wing it, she burst into a sprint, letting her worry for Jane fuel her pace. As she skidded to a stop, Lizzie knocked on the door, taking deep, slow breaths, and put a smile on her face as she turned to unintentionally face Will Darcy.

"Oh… uh… Will, hi!" She said brightly, sticking out a hand.

Darcy heard the slight knocking on the door as he was walking to the Library. With a slight detour, he beat the butler to the door, and he opened it to reveal a flushed, sweaty, mud spattered version of Elizabeth Bennett. Her eyes sparkled with mirth of a good run, and her hair clung to her head, sweat glistening on her forehead.

"Elizabeth Bennett!" He said, overly excited. _Idiot! _He scolded himself severely,_ You aren't supposed to be happy to see her! She's below you, and what's that on her shoes?_

"Did you walk here?" He demanded his voice more distant, official.

"Yes… a little bit of walking and running actually… is that a problem?" She asked with a quirk in her eyebrow. Darcy cursed himself repeatedly, and tried again.

"You've heard of your sister then, have you?" He tried a different tact, noting how her face lit up at the mention of her sister. Her eyes were a bright green in the light, and it lit up gold flecks. Darcy's heart hammered, and he stepped aside, letting her enter. She smelt of fresh grass, and a mixture of beach, and a light hint of lavender. Darcy breathed in deeply, his eyes closing slightly.

"I will take you to see her." He told her lightly, watching with amusement as she struggled to pull off her wet shoes. Her hair fell out of her ponytail, and she blew it out of her face as she pulled on the set strings, wincing as they squeaked.

"What's so funny?" Lizzie snapped, looking up to see Will laughing. He smothered a grin as she pulled at her shoes in vain effort, and stomped on it.

"Oh my, Lizzie, it seems like you've got your shoes stuck on your feet." Drawled a voice from behind Darcy. Claw-like hands gripped his arm, and Will smiled weakly in the face of Caroline.

"Yeah, they'll come off though… don't worry about it." Lizzie said, waving a dismissive hand, but still struggling to pull them off. Darcy began to smile, but covered it quickly with a scowl.

"Oh, I wasn't worrying." She drawled, and pulled Darcy away, exclaiming in a false high voice, "Oh will, I was just thinking about going to the library!" They were almost around the corner when Caroline gave a high pitched shriek.

Will winced in pain, and covered his ear. He turned to see a wet shoe imprint on Caroline's back, and a soggy, muddy puma shoe on its side, on the floor.

"Hey, Caroline, look! I got one off!" Lizzie exclaimed, pulling the other off with a sharp tug. Darcy looked at her, surprise flitting across his features, and he began to laugh. Lizzie gave him such a look of surprise that he laughed harder, almost leaning against a pillar in the hallway for support. A smile broke across her face, and she almost started laughing when Caroline stomped past her. Eyes lighting up even more in mirth, Lizzie kept her mouth shut, but Darcy could see the tell tale dimple on the side of her cheek that she was fighting to hold it in.

"Lizzie! Jane was just asking for you!" Charlie interrupted unknowingly; flying down the stairs so fast it was as if he had simply slipped down. Darcy's face carefully went back to its simple, brooding stare, and he turned away.

"Oh, I've kept her too long!" Lizzie exclaimed, standing up, and rushing up after a laughing Charlie. Her shoes now lay in a desolate clump by the door, wet. When a maid walked past, Darcy asked her to wash and dry them, so that when she guest left, she would have clean shoes.

Will walked into the study, his gaze now thoughtful. Picking up a book, he sat down in a chair, and leafed through the pages. Still, his mind would not quiet, even though the familiar setting of a library was around him. She had gotten him to loosen up so easily, but how? There had been no magic word, no gleaming look in her eyes. But wait! There was a gleaming look! Her eyes that changed with the light, and with her laugh is what had entranced him at first, and now he couldn't stop thinking about it. Now, Will Darcy couldn't stop thinking about her.

That is what females did though. They trapped you with something of theirs that they know you would like. It was their magic spell, and as of right now, Will Darcy was trapped by a pair of very, very fine eyes.

Lizzie was shocked. Her sister was way worse than she imagined. She was paler than her usual cute complexion, and her forehead was covered in sweat. She would sometimes murmur about something or other, before leaning over the toilet. Lizzie had never felt so helpless, or so bad about something. She could only adjust pillows, saying soothing words, and wipe the sweat from her forehead.

Another reason why she felt so helpless was because when her sister was sick, she felt horrible. She was helping as much as possible, but her thoughts kept straying. They kept straying back to Will Darcy. He was a strange man, one moment brooding, the next laughing because she chucked a shoe at his girlfriend. She didn't know why it mattered, but really, it was getting old. He was cute, but he was cold. He had a great smile – which had shocked her so bad she couldn't say anything… he was really, really hot when he smiled- but a distant demeanor. It was unnerving, and she didn't know how to handle it.

"Lizzie… thanks for being here." Jane whispered between her pale lips as her voice scratched against her throat. Lizzie grabbed her hand, and whispered, "I would be here, even if I had to wade eight of those Caroline Bingleys!"

"That's what's great about you… you are always there for me… I wish I could to the same…"

"Jane! Don't you dare think you aren't there for me! I wouldn't survive mother's rants without you! Don't you ever think otherwise!" Lizzie hissed good-naturedly, squeezing her sister's hand. Jane smiled, her pasty complexion scaring Lizzie worse than her sister's words. She held her sister's hand the rest of the day, or until she got hungry, that is.

Stomach grumbling, Lizzie quietly walked down the hallway, and tried to follow her nose to the dining room, where she could now see Darcy, Louisa, and her two siblings eating. Smiling hesitantly, she walked into the room.

"Lizzie! We were wondering if we were gong to have to go up after you! You've been up there with her for all day! How is she by the way?" Charlie exclaimed with exuberance, his eyes lighting, and his hair a ragged tuft sticking straight up.

"She's not as well as I had hoped. If there's any way to get her to our house, I think that-"

"Don't even think about it! Both of you will stay until she is recovered! Now, please sit down and have dinner with us!" Charlie interrupted; he was so pressed on this, that he had stood up when he said it. Eyes wide with appreciation and surprise, Lizzie sat down in the closest seat –unfortunately the one next to the bi-polar Darcy.

"Darcy…" Lizzie greeted hesitantly, waited for some way or another that he might hate her, or glare at her in that creepy, wanting sort of way.

"Elizabeth, how are you this evening?" Will asked cordially, promising himself that he would refrain from talking anything past greetings.

"Very fine thanks. I hope you are well too." She replied, and tucked into her food with gusto, not noting the watchful stare of Darcy, she was so hungry.

"So Lizzie, I hear you had a problem with your shoes this morning." Louisa said conversationally, raising an eyebrow. Lizzie grinned mischievously.

"Yeah, but I got them off eventually, with Caroline's help of course." She added, tossing a wink at the thin, glaring red head. Darcy nearly choked on his steak as he tried to stifle laughter. Her eyes flashed to him, and then back to her food. They were a deep brown color now, and they sparkled.

After dinner, they all went to a small sitting room that held an e-box, and a few computers. Caroline instantly went to a table, pulling out cards from a drawer as she did so.

"Will, would you like to play?" Caroline asked as Louisa sat down next to her. Declining politely, Will and Charlie plugged in the x-box, and began to play some random game with guns. Lizzie sat down to watch, and it unnerved Darcy so much that he kept losing.

"Man Will! You've never lost this much in a long time!" Charlie exclaimed with happiness as his character did a back flip as it progressed to the next level. Will kept silent, and then proceeded to win the next five rounds with gusto.

"How's Georgia these days, Will?" Caroline asked as her and her sister shuffled cards, and played B.S. with boredom.

"She's fine, thanks." He replied as he shot a random zombie before it could tear his face off.

"She's very talented at the piano, I hear. She can do many things of course, but her piano pieces are the best by far." She drawled with impatience at not being noticed.

"I think it's crazy that you girls can have the patience to be so practiced and all." Charlie commented as he shot down a row of zombies in one round of ammo.

"Well, thinking about it, not a lot of girls can really boast of being able to do all sorts of things. I can hardly think of half a dozen. If you are talented at one, people seem to think you could do it all." Will commented. Lizzie raised an eyebrow at this, feeling challenged.

"You must think a lot about that, to have come to that conclusion." She said, ruffling through a magazine page as she did so.

"Well, dear Lizzie, a girl does have to be able to play an instrument, know at least three languages, be able to hold nice conversations, throw parties, and know what to wear on what days. Also, there had to be something in her air… and manner of walking." Caroline drawled, trying to catch Will's eye. He shot a few cops who were running at him, and nodded vaguely.

"Then I'm not surprised at you guys knowing about six of those people. I don't think I could name any at all." Lizzie exclaimed, giving Charlie a wink. Caroline and Louisa then began to rant about knowing several dozen girls, while throwing in at the end of their rant, "Are you so severe on your own sex, dear Lizzie?"

"I've never seen such a woman. She would be very scary to see, I think." Lizzie commented airily, catching them at their own game. _They only know half a dozen at one point, but now can name so many at once?_ She thought sarcastically, smiling slightly. Charlie laughed right out, looking from his game, to glance at her with humor.

"Walk around the room with me Lizzie!" Caroline cried, grabbing Lizzie's arm, and tugging lightly. Lizzie raised her eyebrows, but stood up anyway. Caroline was getting annoyed at Will not paying her attention, so she decided to use Lizzie as a way to get his attention. Sure enough, he unconsciously set his controller down, looking at her as she rose from the couch, and had her arm linked with Caroline's.

She had a light, pleasing figure that intrigued him to no end. Darcy watched them walk for a bit, before he noticed he was staring.

"Oh, come Will, will you not join us in our little stroll?" Caroline asked with a smug smile on her face. Lizzie turned her head, her eyes flashing with humor, and that look itself prodded Will to reply, "Caroline, knowing you, you could only have about two motives for walking. I would definitely muss things up for you if I joined."

"What does he mean?" Caroline demanded, turning to Lizzie, and staring right at her.

"I'm sure it's nothing of importance. It would be better of us to tease him by not asking." Lizzie dismissed his words with a careless flick, but Darcy saw the gleam in her eyes of understanding. With a shriek of laughter, Caroline demanded to know.

"Well, either 1; you have secrets to spread, or two; you know that your figures are pleasing to the eye," He said, his eyes fixed wholly on Lizzie, "If it's the first, then I would definitely get in your way…"

"And the second?" Caroline prodded, her eyes fixed on his in a sickening way. Lizzie rolled her eyes, and looked at him.

"The second, I would certainly be able to be entertained by it while I sit on the couch." He said, eyes boring into Lizzie's. They widened in surprise, and she smiled, a dimple appearing. Caroline's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with mirth.

"How sick, how should we punish him?" She asked Lizzie, her wide eyes making her look slightly demented.

"Why, laugh at him of course. You know him the most, so you should know how to do so." She replied, eyes dancing, now a bright blue. Darcy blinked, and looked again. Definitely a blue, but a darker color, almost like his. Caroline retorted vehemently that Will was not to be laughed at.

"Why not?" Lizzie asked sharply, breaking from Caroline, and rounding on Will. "Are you too proud to be made fun of or something? Now, Darcy, would you think things like vanity and pride a fault, or something to be pleased at having?"

"That I'm not in the place to say. Vanity is a weakness, but pride… when a prideful person has a reason to be proud… then there should not be a problem." He replied, his eyes lingering over her face, and her shape. Lizzie turned away, so he didn't see the smile of victory that crossed her lips.

"You're done interrogating him? What's the result dear Lizzie, I'm dying to know."

"Darcy has no fault. He has a justification for everything, therefore, no sin." She snapped, eyes alight. Darcy raised his eye brow at her, and was so surprised at her tone, that he said quickly, "Of course I have faults! Mine may be the fact that I can't control my anger. Once someone loses my good opinion, they will never get it back."

"That is sad! Really now, I thought it would be the fact that you hate anyone, and everyone." She said, giving him that droll look he both hated and loved.

"And yours, Lizzie, is the problem of mistaking anyone, and everyone." He replied swiftly, and went back to his game, for now he was several levels behind a laughing Bingley. Lizzie left a few moments afterwards, and everything lost its luster, in Darcy's opinion. He played his game, and it was easier.

"Lizzie is the type of girl that tries to make herself look so cute and adorable by insulting people around her to make herself look good. Really, some girls do stupid things."

"Anything a girl tries to do to make them noticed is stupid." Charlie said with a shrug, zapping a zombie in mid-lunge.

"I won't forget what she did today, Louisa, she looked horrible, all sweaty, nasty, and covered in mud! Her Juicy sweats were covered about a foot thick in mud. I didn't recognize her until she threw her shoe at me! Only Lizzie would do such a horrid thing!" Caroline exclaimed, rolling her eyes disgustedly. Darcy had to choke back another laugh at the scene that morning, and he kept on with the mind-numbing video games. After about an hour longer, and he couldn't take it anymore. After killing his character, Will retreated to his room, running his hands through his hair, and he slumped on his bead.

The war with words had gone perfect. He had gotten her attention in more than the simpering sort of thing, and she had responded with exuberance. Will tore into the bed covers, his only clothes boxers, and a wife-beater. He lay there for awhile, wondering if Lizzie was sleeping comfortably. When he did finally manage to sleep, his dreams were riddled with her. They were riddled with his Elizabeth.

Lizzie snuggled into her covers, mind reeling. What did he mean by that? What had Darcy meant when he said that she misunderstood people? By his little speech about pride, she had found out right from his mouth, that he thought he had a right to be proud! And then to say he could watch them walk around better as he sat, what was the meaning about that? Really, all Will Darcy was doing was making her annoyed, and Lizzie hated to be annoyed. Better to treat him civil, and let just ignore him other wise.

Lizzie turned off the light, and lay there for many more hours, trying to figure out why he made her think so much. What was there about him that made Lizzie want to think about him? Nothing, that was what! He was cute, but he was a prat! Concluding that to herself, Lizzie fell slowly asleep, in a house she barely managed to describe, because her thoughts were riddled of his words, and trying to decipher what they meant.

**Yay me! I finally got a chapter done! It's taken forever, but now I think I managed a pretty cool chappy! Happy dance! So, she finally finds out about his contentness to being proud… not to happy about it either. And, her sister's sick! NOOOOO! Well, sorry, but it had to happen… that's how she sees the arrogant man himself! YAY KARMA! Oh… no, that was a spoiler… crud. I hope no one reads this stupid stuff I type at the bottom!**

**Thanks for all your reviews! They make me feel all fuzzy wuzzy on the inside! YAYA FUZZIES!**


	3. Forbidden Words

**Ok, so I got lotsa reviews! Yay! That really helps me get motivated, so that I can put a new chapter in ASAP! When I have motivation, (you people) (meaning, R&R!) then I actually get a story done! YAY ME! **

**This is going to be the hardest one to write. I hate Whickam… and Collins, so this is going to be lame. UGH! BUT! No fear, soon, they will be out of my life. YAY ME!**

"**This is quite shocking! He deserves to be publicly disgraced!"**

"**Some time or other he **_**will**_** be- but it shall not be by **_**me**_**. Till I can forget his father, I can never defy or expose **_**him.**_**" -Chapter 16**

The next morning dawned slightly too early for Lizzie's liking. She rolled her eyes, and glanced at her cell phone, which held her calendar, and informed her that she had one week left of break. It had just so happened that she had a sick leave from her work, and her college's break at the same time, so she had felt really lazy at first. Lizzie worked at a book store near her college, and was paid about 15$ an hour. It was over pay, but why complain? The store owner was her uncle, and he got her the job part time as well. It rolled in the larger dollars than a simple job at Mc Donald's.

She rolled out of bed, knowing that she would hate to have to go back to work and school at the same time, but with a shrug, changed into a pair of clothes that had been set out for her. _How did those get there?_ She thought groggily, but assumed they were for her when she saw the small sticky note that had her name on it.

Clad in all Pucci, Lizzie stumbled lightly down the stairs, and into the dining room, where the entire group of people was conversing tensely with none other than her mother. She could see that from the tense lines around her mother's mouth, she was not happy, and from the brooding stare Darcy was giving her, Lizzie didn't have to ask to know that her mother had spoken of something brassily… again.

"Less varied, I don't think so young man." She scorned slightly, glaring at him, "There are neighbors as far as the eye can see. We have parties with the mayor, and many others. Why do you think we're 'uncultured'? Really, the people we dine with, and live with can honestly live up to more than some people who live better than them. Money doesn't buy manner, after all."

Darcy merely looked at her, before his glance went past her shoulder, where Lizzie stood. He froze, his gaze resting heavily on hers, and he nodded.

"So sorry to offend." He stated simply. He turned back to his laptop, where he proceeded to type with an angry gusto, and it simply made Lizzie more embarrassed. She went over to her mother, and gave her a light hug, before sitting down next to her.

"And what's this about a banquet? I heard from Mrs. Lucas that you planned on giving one." She prodded the thought, looking at Charlie pointedly. His sisters looked at each other with matching glances of disgust, and tried not to burst into fits of theatrical laughter.

"Name the day, Mrs. Bennett, and it will be a banquet! After your daughter is better, of course." Charlie replied, looking at her, smiling slightly. Mrs. Bennett shrugged, the gleam back in her eye.

"Lizzie, we have to go. Your father has a friend over, and his son. Apparently, his son is weighted more on business, instead of looks. You would do well to meet him." She said in her loud voice, causing Darcy to look up from his laptop with surprise and a few other emotions playing across his face before he turned back to the usual, emotionless stone. Why did he feel like this? It was an annoying feeling, like a squeezing pressure in his chest, and it caused him to wince visibly. The thought of some other man, and Elizabeth… together… it caused a sudden anger –that was quickly repressed- to surface in the back of his throat, and he was annoyed that one simple statement from someone that didn't matter to make him so angry.

"What about Jane?" Lizzie asked softly, the blush finally starting to fade. She had seen the raised eyebrows, and identical smirks on both faces of the Bingley sisters, and she resented it.

"She'll have to stay I'm afraid. The car was just cleaned, and I can't afford to have it mussed up from sickness." She replied airily, and stood up. "Thank you for letting them stay, but I really must take this one." And with a nod in their direction, grabbed Lizzie, and yanked her up.

"What about my other things?" She asked, trying to find a way to stay with her sister, and not with some random stranger her mother wanted her to date.

"We'll have it taken back with dear Jane, when she's better." Caroline dismissed drolly, her sick grin widening.

"What about my shoes? They're all muddy!" She groped desperately for an excuse, knowing that her sister wouldn't be happy with the wicked step-sisters for company. Darcy looked up at her again, and gave a tight smile.

"I had them washed." He said simply, and then looked back at his work hurriedly. Lizzie rolled her eyes. Were her shoes that repulsive to the perfectly immaculate house? She was surprised that Darcy had been able to stand one of his friend's servants picking them up. Instead of being happy that he had done something nice, it only succeeded in making her day more annoying.

And indeed, readers, it was an annoying day for Lizzie. After meeting the father of the now dreaded Collins, she then had to go out on a date, with the dreaded Collins, and then had to put on a false smile when the dreaded Collins asked her out again, and then most of the rest of her break was spent… dodging the dreaded Collins, and worrying about the sister she never got to visit because of him.

"Oh, Lizzie, look at this top I bought for you." He gushed, his pudgy red face looming up at her as he held up a red halter top from Chanel.

"Mr. Collins, really, I don't need a top. I can't accept this." She protested, pushing it gently away as they set on her small balcony, her patience wearing thin. She had 4 more days of break before she went back to both work, and her school, and she was growing tired of the long drawn out conversations about, "Mrs. Catherine De Bourge". Really, it seemed as if he was more obsessed with her than he was with Lizzie. Everything was a gift from her, and was something to be cherished.

"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie, there is no need! The money was a gift, from Mrs. Catherine De Bourge! She is most kind, you know." He cried, setting it on her lap. See what I mean? The white tag purposely pointed up, showing the price of 678.00$. Rolling her eyes, Lizzie took it, and pressed it back into his arms, and was happy when the phone rang, letting her make a mad dash to the phone, picking it up with a breathless, "Hello?"

"Yes, Lizzie? This is your Uncle Gardiner, sorry to call, but I need you at the store tomorrow. The worker who was there in your place got into a horrible wreck, and she won't be able to do anything for awhile. Sorry sweetie, I hate doing this, but-"

"OH! Tomorrow you say? Well, I suppose I will have to drop any plans with certain friends for work! It's ok Uncle, I understand!" Lizzie interrupted breathlessly, glancing at the pudgy form of Collins sitting on the balcony, looking back at her with a sad expression of her going back to work early. Lizzie smiled at the victory of being able to escape the creepy man.

Collins was pale, short, and horribly prideful. He was socially inept, but acted as if he knew everything, and told that to people unintentionally. He would talk condescendingly, but act surprised when people became angered by it. He was a walking, talking version of someone Lizzie hated worse than Darcy. At least he could attempt at being social without looking completely idiotic.

"Lizzie, thank you! If I could, you'd get a raise from this! I'll see you bright and early then. Much love from your aunt and me!" Her uncle's voice was slightly static as he hung up, but Lizzie was too happy to care. She flounced back to Collins before explaining the situation to him. With a great too many arm grasps, and mutterings about what Mrs. Catherine De Bourge would do if she had been called in on a break, Collins took his leave.

With a gasp, and a small laugh of victory, Lizzie opened a bottle of Champaign to celebrate. Noting that Jane was still sick, and at Bingley's, Lizzie called the rest of her friends, who came over around 8:00, and they proceeded to party for any reason they could think of. Some of her friends needed a reason to drink, and a celebration was something that called for it. Even though all of them knew that they would have hangovers worse than thousands of Collins in the morning, they drank all the more, laughing about it, and watching comedies before passing out on the living room floor.

That's what annoyance when someone won't leave you (and loneliness when the silence gets too much) can do to you.

111111111111111111

Someone's alarm woke Lizzie up. She was sprawled across her couch, someone's arm draped across her neck in a relaxed position. Her head was throbbing angrily, and hurt something awful. _Let's see, let's try a word… _she thought groggily, managing to raise her head a few inches._ Let try a word… an easy word, that's it… come on, any word, how about hello? That's a good word, ok, one… two… three…_

"Arrargggh?" Moaned her treacherous lips._ That was no good. Sounds like I haven't spoken in centuries…_ Then, she managed to look at her watch, which said quite clearly in the gloom of the dark room, 11:46. Then, Lizzie remembered quite clearly that the shift the girl ran was at… 11:00. With a gasp of both pain, and annoyance that she was late, Lizzie fell off of the couch, and jumped across the passed out bodies all across her living room. Her clothes were fine, so she simply wiped off the makeup on her face, and put on a jacket, grabbing her keys, and opening the door into pouring rain.

"Great…" She moaned, stomping down the stairs, and to her freezing car. Of all the days, she had the nasty little car on the lightening, and thundering, down pouring rain. The day couldn't get any worse!

She got to work easily, but annoyed all the same by the rain. Groaning, she took orders from the few book shoppers that were there, and her headache slowly got worse. There was one person that made her day though. It was around 2:00, the rain still pouring, the thunder still booming, but still, this one boy made her day.

"Hey, I lost my number, could I borrow yours for awhile?" A voice purred lightly, and an arm snaked around her waist. Lizzie slapped it away, about to tell him –whoever "him" was- off, when she saw it was a very, very cute guy giving her the eye. Raising an eye, she removed his arm, and laughed it off.

"I think mine's lost too. What's with guy's pick-up lines today anyway?" She asked jokingly, kicking him out from behind the counter, laughing. She got to talking with him, and his name was Whickham, Jack Whickham.

"That's cute, very old fashioned, but cute." She teased as she put a stack of books on the shelf that had just been brought in. She talked with him for awhile, laughing and nodding as they told each other everything about themselves. She found herself attracted to him more than anything, and it was insane. Lizzie had not felt this attracted to someone in a long time, and it excited her. She felt like she could tell him anything, and he would listen. That's how he found out about her dream of life after college, and her annoying mother in the same paragraph.

Of course, when Will Darcy strutted into the room, Lizzie rolled her eyes, and walked behind the counter to ask if he needed help. She also helped run the coffee shop in the store, so she got her notepad, and was prepared to take an order.

"Yes, I was wondering if-"

"Hey, Lizzie! Why would you have this stashed away underneath everything?" Jack asked, walking up with a rather sexual book. Laughing Lizzie pushed him away, and apologized for the interruption. When she looked back at Darcy however, she saw an abrupt change, in both parties after a second glance.

Darcy was an angry, pale white, and Jack was a red, panicked little rabbit, ready to bolt. Lizzie stood between the two, sensing a brawl. It was Jack who caught himself. With a tight smile, he waved shortly. Will Darcy raised an eyebrow, and with a sneer, turned around, and walked out of the store without another glance. Lizzie looked pointedly at Jack for an explanation, but received none at first. After awhile though, her curiosity got the better of her, and she managed to pull him into the now awkward conversation. She blamed Darcy for it being awkward.

"If might surprise you to know that we used to be really, really good mates. We ran around together when we were smaller." He began, putting books up as she pointed, and handed them to him.

"Really…" She mused lightly, not wanting to interrupt, but surprise did get the best of her in that sense. They didn't seem the type to be friends at all.

"Yeah, we were cool. But my father worked for his, and his father liked me better because I was not so uptight. Darcy didn't like that one bit though, not one bit at all. When his dad died, he told me that I could have a small part of the place they owned, but Will, filled with jealously, ignored him, and kicked me out."  
"Couldn't you just take it to court?" Lizzie finally blurted, looking at him angrily. She felt an utmost anger towards the cold man she had seen moments before. How could someone do that?

"It was an unofficial. He didn't expect his son to do such a thing. But, he did give me some money, when I asked, but one day, I was at Yale, and he cancelled all payments for the school. I was kicked out of Yale, and forced to not finish college. I went back to England (that was where we lived), and found the love of my life there." He mused lightly, his hands ghosting over the binding of the book.

"How sweet!" She exclaimed, slightly sad that he already had a love.

" Do not get too saddened, it was his sister that I loved. She was sweet, and we would talk for hours about anything, and nothing. One day, we were at the house, when she came onto me. She said she was ready, and so was I, I mean, I loved her very much, so I was ready to do whatever for her! Right when we were about to, her brother barged in, and immediately thought one thing, and threw me out. No one got to explain anything to him, and I was sent to jail. He thought that I tried to rape her." He finished softly, looking deep into Lizzie's eyes, which were now a sad, dark blue.

"He deserves to be beaten. Or at least people should know of his cruelties." She said angrily, her eyes blazing with anger. How could someone be so cruel? To take away two lovers! To take away something sweet, and innocent! She saw a new person from what she used to see in Darcy, and it made sense. His pride, his arrogance, all of it made sense.

"One day, Lizzie, he will be. But it won't be by me. I will stay out of his way." He replied gravely, taking her hand, and holding it. Lizzie looked right into his brown eyes, and smiled. She suddenly found him all the more attractive.

"Please, don't feel bad for me, it's finally gotten to where I can stand the pain of her gone." He whispered, his lips ghosting across her cheek bone. Lizzie smiled as she let him hug her lightly.

"What's his sister like?" She asked, trying to distract him. Her stomach was doing annoying flip-flop things, and she hated it, but liked it.

"When we were together, she was kind, and pretty, and sweet. My friend saw her later, and she had turned into her brother, in a female form. It saddens me to see her wasted in such a way." He spat the last sentence, his anger mounting slightly. He then let his lips rest lightly on hers, and Lizzie's breathe quickened. Smiling lightly, she stood up, and began to walk away, her heart pounding. She didn't want that yet, her heart wasn't used to it! She liked it, but hated it, what was wrong with her?

"Wait!" He called, and smiling, Lizzie turned back to him. "I still need a replacement phone number!"

"It's on the worker's roster." She replied, before splitting out of there, noticing the clock reading 4:00. Her shift had ended an hour ago. The rain was still pouring hard, and the lightening crackled across the sky angrily. She drove carefully, trying to ignore the stupid ringing in her ears, the roar of the old car's engine rattling her brain. Usually, they had the nice car, but it was at her parents house, leaving her with the old, old, old… and dare I say old again… old VW Rabbit.

With a moan, she stopped at a stoplight, trying to see through the gloom of her window. The rain roared down, slapping the roof of the car angrily, and she uttered an oath as she slowly plodded on, her hangover getting considerably worse.

It was then that several things happened at once. When Lizzie tried to slow down as she came to the stoplight, her tires would not find purchase on the wet ground, and she found herself spinning around, and around in the car, her stomach feeling worse with the spinning. She turned her head as she heard the unmistakable sound of squealing tires. Bright lights erupted in her vision as an oncoming car tried to stop.

BAM! The metal crashed, and crumpled underneath metal. There was the grating sound as both cars flipped over one another, buckling, and folding beneath one another. Lizzie found her eyes rolling as her headache exploded in pain as her head hit the steering wheel, and then the seat as the airbag finally exploded in her face.

One car on top of the other, they finally stopped sliding, the screeching of metal silencing as well, in the middle of an intersection. Lizzie's head sent white hot rolling waves of agony ricocheting across her body, and she couldn't even manage to moan in pain. She felt the seat-belt cutting into her skin, and she couldn't move her arm to unbuckle herself.

When her nausea subsided, she opened her eyes. Rain was trickling down her forehead, but it was a few moments before Lizzie realized that the rain was actually her blood. She couldn't even curse, it hurt. Her limbs were heavy, and the roaring of the rain lashing down on her upturned car made her head scream something fierce.

There was another grating sound. _Good God, why won't people stop making noise?_ Lizzie thought angrily, and winced as the noise cut through her ears. She heard someone cuss, and she vaguely recognized the voice. There was movement around her, and she felt a tugging.

"Oh, good god, Elizabeth, it can't be… please, don't be… you can't… I lo- Elizabeth please be alright." A voice whispered, and it choked back a panicked sob of worry.

Eyes flying open, Lizzie tried to push the person away, but she couldn't. Her limbs wouldn't respond. She could only feel pain bleeding through her body as they moved her.

"Stop." She whispered, tears leaking out of the side of her eyes. A motion began to make her nauseas, but when she could get words from her mouth, it stopped. She could feel warm, strong arms around her, and the cool breath against her forehead as rain kissed her gently.

"Elizabeth. Please, don't be too hurt. Please, you'll be okay." An urgent voice whispered, its tone distraught, the pitch wavering as a thick coating covered his throat. Lizzie knew that voice. Why did she know that voice?

She felt herself being lowered down, and then the cool, yet hard concrete welcomed her as she heard echoing footsteps hurry away. Everything was amplified, and her headache was screaming.

"I should have known. Damn!" The same voice cursed. What should he have known? Lizzie's head swam, and she could barely keep her eyes opened. There was something wet and sticky covering her, what was it? The steps grew louder as the man approached more slowly.

"Stay here, Whickham." Came an authoritative voice. Whickham? She knew him! He had kissed her right before she chickened out, and left. What did he have to do with things? The footsteps stopped, and Lizzie cracked open an eye. Someone's face swam sickeningly into view. He was cute, the blonde, skater punk sort of look. There was blood on his face, and he looked at her worriedly. It was Jack!

"I didn't… you have to believe me man, I didn't mean to! I know you hate me, whatever, you're an ass yourself, but you gotta believe me, I didn't mean to do that, my brakes locked up, and-"

"And the alcohol on your breath had nothing to do with it." Came the familiar voice. "Get away from her, and wait for the paramedics." Get away? Alcohol? Whickham was drunk? Was he drunk when he told her? She could barely move, let alone think and talk.

Why was it familiar? What was so familiar about that clipped, clear voice? Slightly British, but not muddled with slang. More echoing footsteps and Lizzie closed her eyes.

"Elizabeth? Please, oh god, please, answer me. The medics will be here, stay with me, please…" The voice whispered, and someone grabbed her off the pavement gently. She felt herself being rocked, and the same, worried, husky, British voice lulled her into a stupor that dulled the pain slightly. Who was her rescuer? Why did he care? What was that sticky feeling on her? She opened her eyes to see red. Lots of red on her, and it took a moment to register that it was hers. Sickening red looming at her, and she screwed her eyes shut in surprise, and sickness.

Flashing lights colored her eye lids, and she felt herself being lifted onto something hard, and flat. She reached a hand out mechanically, calling out feebly, "Stay with me." Her head hurt, oh god it hurt, but she felt the warm clasp of her unknown man.

"Of course I'll stay; you'll be alright, just stay with me, please stay with me." The sweet voice, the only thing that didn't hurt her head, the lilting voice comforted her, and when she heard him explain the situation, she held his hand tighter. The paramedics were also talking with Jack, but she wasn't paying attention to him. She felt stretcher being lifted, and the calm voice saying that he was staying with her. Movement. Lots of movement. God, why was there so much movement? It didn't matter. She gripped the hand of her mystery man who was so familiar whenever she felt like she was going to be sick, and it subsided a little.

The movement stopped. The hand tried to let go, but panic gripped her, and she gripped his hand, moaning feebly for him to stay. There was whispering, and his hand was pried away.

"She's going into shock." Came a clear voice. Shock. She knew all of this! Why was she in the situation, she was the doctor! She should know to stop this nonsense, but her limbs would not move. Shock, how to stop the shock. Stop the shock, where was that lilting, British voice?

"Stay…" She whispered, and felt more movement. There was a twin clanging that ruptured her ears for a moment it seemed as she was wheeled through double doors. There was a moment where the voice came back, urgent, and she knew she was about to be taken into a room to be patched up. It was the only chance to see her rescuer. With a wince, she pried open an eye, and winced as bright white light exploded across her eye. God, why so much light! Was she blind? No! As her eyes grew quickly accustomed to the light, she was beginning to be wheeled away.

"NO! Wait!" She cried, and turned her head violently, wishing she hadn't. Pain gripped her neck, and she turned back instantly, knowing why so many people in the hospital gurneys disobeyed their nurses, and doctors. They wanted that last look at humanity. With a groan, Lizzie's gurney took a turn, and Lizzie's head turned to see a glimpse of Will Darcy watching her with pained eyes of worry, blood on his suit arms, and his entire outfit spattered with rain. Darcy. Darcy, and Darcy only was her rescuer. He was the one who had whispered the forbidden words as he pulled her out of the car. She didn't want to think those words as she felt an IV drip pulling at her eyelids heavily, but she couldn't help but think those words as she sunk into unconsciousness.

His words were toxic, his words were sin. They were not meant to be said by him, but said by him they were. He ruined Jack's life, and she remembered stupidly that Jack had loved his sister. Will wasn't allowed to whisper those words after killing those words between Jack and Will's sister. Will Darcy's words as he pulled her from the car had been simple, but they were the last thing she heard as she passed out.

"I love you Elizabeth, please be alright."

**Ok, so that was shorter than usual, but exams are coming up! Oh, how I love exams, they make me fuzzy all over… ugh! Lotsa reviews I hope about this one, it's shorter, but I worked harder! R&R, and I will keep typing! YAY ME! Oh no! What will happen? What will Elizabeth do? How's Jacky boy doing? Maybe he might die when they stitch him up! I hope so! Oh… wait… that's my decision… gawd, im an idiot… sorry… anywho! If I get TWENTY reviews, then I will update! If not, then… well, you'll never know what happens! Sorry, I had to put a twist in it, I thought I was following dialogue slightly too much, so I took a sharp turn left, R&R and tell me!!!**

**-The happy, spazzy writer!!!!**


	4. Darcy

**So, if you haven't learned by now, I'm not patient enough to wait around for 20 people to R& THEN if they FEEL like it… R. So, I'm going to try a Mr. Darcy's point of view for the crash, and then so on and so forth. Thanks for those who reviewed, for without you, I would not continue! I would feel… yes, I would feel… sad. ******** No hooray for sadness, but a ******** for the fact I feel loved! YAY ME! Okee, I'mma stop now, before I break the small salsa dish, or spill the salsa… salsa's good, if you didn't know. A little spicy, but VERY good. ******** I think this one might be slightly lackluster at first, but I'm trying to give a little bit with him, and let's face it, at first, he seemed terribly boring to me too… ******

"**What had he told her that obviously troubled her so? It bothered me to not know." ****An Assembly Such as This.**** Chapter 10. (An actual published book in Darcy's POV)**

"Say, Will, aren't you going to get a few new books at the local bookstore?" Charlie asked as Will got the keys to his mini coop. Will looked at him warily, hoping to god that his friend wasn't about to press Caroline onto him again. He was famous for doing that. Instead, it was a simple question to deliver the invitation for a party at Netherfield to Lizzie. She just so happened to work at the bookstore he was going to. The idea of seeing her heightened his impatience to go. Of course, he was trying to calm himself, knowing that if he lost his mind, he would certainly look at fool.

It had been almost a week since he had seen her. Jane was still at Netherfield, but was beginning to get better. He had no doubt that if Elizabeth had stayed; she would have gotten better faster. When her mother had arrived, it was atrocious. The way she talked with everyone -as if she truly knew what she was literally talking about- and the way she acted as if she could direct a college students actions, as if she lived under her mother's wing still, was sickening. The woman could not be contained, and it was evident in the way she acted, like a proud mother hen trying to strut like a lion.

His first thought was that this woman before him was the reason why Elizabeth and him could never be together. Indeed, he hardly knew why he liked her. She was proud, sarcastic, slightly brassy, and always talked to him archly, as if he was something to be amused with. A Darcy was certainly nothing to be amused with! But this woman was the smart dose he needed to let himself know that they could never be together. Not that he wanted to, of course.

He was glad that she had arrived. He could barely contain his emotions the night before as they talked (Charlie told him it was arguing. Darcy claimed debating) he had simply wanted to close the distance between them, and simply touch her skin, to see if it was as warm as her gaze was. He wanted to know if her curls were as soft as they looked in the light. But no! This thought process was banished the moment her mother walked into the room. Good thing to, for such a rag-tag family had no right to be lifted into the ranks of a Darcy's title.

Will Darcy had been given the business at the age of 18, right out of graduation. His father had passed away, and there was no one else to take it up, so Will proudly took charge. Knowing that he needed a right hand man to help with promoting their business, Will chose Charlie. He was an opposite of Will, and would bring in people to their business easier than the silent Darcy. After that, Darcy had taken some of his savings, and was able to go through all of college, while helping Charlie with the business. It certainly wasn't easy, and certainly took a long time for them to become the rich and famous attorney's at law that they were known for in London, but when they finally were able to promote it all over TV commercials, and billboards, bringing it up on radios, and settling cases as easy as wiping sand off a table, they were able to widen their business to other countries.

Of course, the one place where they struck big was America. With so many crimes, and so many cases needing settlement in the bigger cities, they opened up a few businesses in the larger, more dangerous, but well off cities. New York became one of the places that racked in the money the most, and then second was L.A.

Darcy was not as happy as other people who were poorer were. He thought he was happy, but when his sister had the mishap with Whickham, it made him realize that yes, he had the business, but was so worked up with it that he had almost lost his sister. He then brought in so many workers, that he almost had nothing to do but tell them which cases should go to whom.

Elizabeth was exotic to him. He was thinking this slowly as he walked through the rain with his umbrella, and to her work. _She's the new toy on Christmas; _he thought as the bell rung the signal a worker. _That's the only reason why I like her. She is someone who brings something different to my life. That's the only reason why. She's low enough with money that I can only think of her until I get bored with her low class acts. She-_

-was leaning on the counter, looking at him expectantly. There was an awkward silence as she waited for him to talk. He looked at her eyes, which were now shining a very bright, but slightly hazy from hangover green. She turned her head, and he watched in awe as they turned a darker brown, the light reflecting off them. Any bad thought of her banished as he saw the glow of her face. She was tired too, he could tell. It seemed like she was having a bad hangover, but was at least well enough to function.

"Yes, I'd like to-"He began, but saw something that made his blood boil.

"Lizzie! What are you doing with these stashed under the counter?" A sickeningly flirtatious voice asked seductively, raising an obscene book above his head. That face, that voice, those nasty, greedy eyes that surveyed everything for what they could bring him, it was him.

That nasty traitor, that sickeningly good looking smooth talking, greasy sneak! He was right there, and was looking at Will's Lizzie with that gleam that said he wanted her body, not her mind. Will clenched his teeth, and turned pale with anger as he tried not to land a punch right on him. He looked at Lizzie, hoping to see disgust, or at least surprise, but was sickened to see her looking right at him with… admiration.

What was he doing here? Why was he in America? Of course, he was a gold digger; why not start in the money crazy country of the USA? It was obvious he was trying to reap havoc here too, and with Will's precious Lizzie. His gaze narrowed, wondering if they had done anything yet.

No, they had not done anything. Whickham would not have stuck around. Also, Darcy had a suspicion that Lizzie was not that way. Unless she had skeletons in her closet, Will wad relieved to see that he had arrived just in the nick of time. He was there enough to at least put a stop to this.

But why did she look like she liked him? Sure, he was a lady's man, but he was sure that Lizzie was smart enough to see through him! So why did she seem to crumple under his false smoldering gaze? That though was enough to make Darcy angry enough to simply give the prat a withering glare, and storm out, forgetting entirely about the stupid invitation to the party. He barely registered the fact that Whickham had tried to give him a greeting, though a silly, disrespectful one that questioned Darcy's rank in society.

He sped down the streets, ignoring the silly rain that had quieted down slightly. He was too busy listening to the lyrics of the song that blared from his speakers by a smaller band, Eve 6.

_When all is said and done and dead, _

_Does he love you?_

_The way that I do_

_You breathe in_

_Lightening tonight's fighting_

_I feel the hurt_

_So physical_

_Think twice before you touch my girl _

_Come around and let you feel the burn_

_Think twice before you touch my girl_

_Come around, come around, no more_

_She spreads her love_

_She burns me up_

_I can't let go_

_I can't get out_

_I've said enough_

_Enough by now_

_I can't let go_

_I can't get out._

But of course, in his mind, the song didn't lean towards him at all. It was not like he loved her or anything. That simply would not do. His standings in social life would falter, he could not take her to any event, for fear of her family ruining it all when they tagged along, and simply put, she did not deserve him. That was his minds thinking, for it was what he had been brought up to know.

This was maddening. Why did he care about her!? Whickham was nothing to him, but why did she look at a Darcy with contempt, but Whickham with adoration?! With a snarl, he pressed on the stupid gas pedal, and drove on, his eyes narrowing into slits. He was remembering things he did not want to know, and seeing things he did not want to remember. Why did Whickham always have to show up when things were almost about to go right? Every time that stupid slime ball came around, something went wrong. Will just hoped that it would not ruin his chances with Elizabeth. Not that he cared about her or anything. He just couldn't stand to think the a man of his status could lose to someone like Jack…

It was about twenty minute's before he realized that he had forgotten to give the letter to her. Guessing that she would get home soon enough, Will began to back track his way to her house. Charlie had vaguely mentioned where they lived, and Will was glad that he had remembered. Turning around with a slight shriek of the tires, Will sped back along the road, his speed climbing slowly.

The light turned red, and Will was glad for it, for if he hadn't stopped, something would have happened, that he was glad didn't. As he stopped, a car ripped right past him, and with shrieking tires, begun to swerve into the other lane, swinging dangerously back and forth. If he had not stopped, he would have been t-boned.

If it had happened, he would not have been able to help, and she might have died. As he hit the brakes, the car skidded. Not a moment too soon, it seemed, for as he stopped, two cars –one on the other, flipped over- skidded, and slid to a final stop in the middle of the intersection. Will raised an eyebrow, realizing that his music was too loud for a respectable man, and turned it down. The silence let him know that the reason why he had heard no metal grating on metal, was that he his music was indeed, too loud.

Going by reflex, Darcy calmly dialed the number for emergency in America, and waited. As he rapped out instructions into the phone, he looked through the gloom of the rain, and for some reason, recognized the car on the bottom. It was beat up of course, but it had certainly been noted by him before. A business man, perhaps?

Darcy wheeled his car expertly onto the side of the road, and turned it off. Getting out, and stepping into the down pouring rain, grumbling as he did so. It was then that he saw through the gloom, the face of the person in the bottom car. It was Elizabeth.

Panic gripped his chest as he realized that she was not moving. There was a gash on her forehead, and she was leaning on the back of the seat, eyes closed. With a curse, Darcy ran foreword, uttering oaths.

"Please, good god Elizabeth, don't be dead." He whispered, leaning down onto the ground, and wrenching open the door. He could see her eyelids fluttering as she tried to cover her ears. A lump formed at the back of his throat, and he had to clear it. Why did he care? Of course he cared, for god's sake, look at her! She was covered, completely covered, in blood. She didn't look full of life anymore. She looked cold, and dead.

What would he do if she died? How would he be able to move on? He couldn't, he definitely would refuse. The thought of her not being there to tease him ripped an invisible hole in his chest, and he almost groaned at the thought. He couldn't bear to see her like this anymore; he just couldn't bear to do it. It was unfathomable, and impossible. But she was so close to death, she had lost a lot of blood.

"Please, oh please, don't die, you can't. I love you, Elizabeth, please be alright." He whispered. It was then that he stopped, and checked himself. Why did he say that? But then he saw the distraught, limp form of her, and knew instantly why. Stooping down, he wrenched the seat belt from the catch, and picked her up. She moaned something, and tried to push him away.

"No, you'll be ok, please, just be ok." He plead softly, holding her close to him. She was bleeding on her head, her arms, her stomach, her legs; it seemed as if she was completely covered with her own blood. A moan tore from his lips as he saw her so weak, and hurt. His breath stole from him as he saw her go limp, her eyes not moving, her breath stilled.

"You're fine, ok? You're fine, I'm going to help you, please, just be ok, I don't know what I'm going to do if you're not." He said softly, before setting her out of harm's way. She settled comfortably on the concrete, and began breathing again. He then forced himself to part from her, and go to the other car. He glanced back and saw her scooting a little off of the ground, and leaned against the railing of the interstate. Darcy peered into the car on top to see a pale and upside-down Jack Whickham.

"I should have known! Damn." He cursed, surveying his nemesis. Of course, why would it be anyone else? Just the thought that he had hurt Elizabeth made him want to leave the idiot, and get Lizzie to the hospital himself. Restraining any impulse, he grabbed the groaning, and drunken Whickham, and pulled him out of the car, with difficulty. Glass from the car's windows was scattered around, and he tried to avoid them as he supported the bleeding and conscious Jack over to Lizzie.

"Idiot." He snapped, dumping the drunken man next to her. Jack retorted something as he drug himself up, and looked at her. Jack began making an excuse at once, and said something about brakes, when it caused Will to laugh at once.

"And the stench of alcohol on your breath had nothing to do with it." He replied evenly, resisting another impulse to kick the brute when he was down. Bending down, he began checking Elizabeth for major injuries, noting the oddly disjointed leg. It was broken. The rain was still pouring, and it was washing away most of the blood.

"The paramedics will be here soon, stay with me, please, you'll be alright." He crooned, panicking slightly when she didn't respond. He grabbed her lightly, and cuddled her frame against his, his dark, sapphire eyes glinting in sadness, and worry.

She clutched his arms, and whispered something that he didn't hear. All he could do was focus on breathing. He. Was. Holding. Elizabeth.

That was enough to sustain him. He was holding her, and she was alive. The panic subsided, and he rocked her gently, trying to comfort her, whispering words, begging her to hang on.

He could breathe without feeling ragged. She was clinging to him, her eyes still closed. He kissed her forehead, his breath tickling her skin. Her eyes opened to him, and he saw the dark blue that almost mirrored his own. She then snapped her eyes shut, in fear, or for some other reason he didn't know. He simply kept holding her, her life line his. She kept him breathing as her ragged breaths came in and out.

Jack Whickham watched them avidly, his injuries pretty bad, but not as bad as Lizzie's. He was awake and watched Darcy panic almost as he saw her. He had seen enough to know that the snooty, idiotic lawyer was madly in love with the silly girl. Sure, she was pretty, but he could see she didn't have much money, or worth taking right at once. She shied away from love, he could tell, but she seemed quite content with the kiss Jack had given. _Just wait 'till she sees whose arms she's in._ He though sickly, knowing for a fact that she had believed every word he had said when he told her his little story. _When she realizes it was Darcy, she would say a few choice words, and then come back me_, he thought smugly.

Flashing lights, and sirens let Will know that he was going to have to let her go. He didn't want to it, but knew what had to happen. If he wanted to get Jack in jail, he would have to testify, and also convince Elizabeth to sue.

The medics brought out the stretcher, and put her on it. She froze up, and tried to sit up, only to have a medic attempt to tell her to stay down.

"Stay with me." She whispered, her hand hanging off the stretcher, waiting for something. Will hesitantly gripped her hand, looking apologetically at the medic who seemed impatient.

"You'll need to give a report of the scene." A cop now addressed him, noting that he had to stay to give one. Darcy quickly rapped out what he had seen, and how he had assisted. The cop gave the feedback, and as Darcy signed his name at the bottom of the paper as a testimony, Lizzie grasped his hand tighter, making him slightly blush. The medic noted this, and asked if he would accompany her in the back.

"Isn't that against regulations?" He asked, walking up the walk with her hand in his as they wheeled her.

"It looks like she would go into shock if you let go." The medic replied, laughing. Smiling, Darcy managed to get into the back with them (having difficulty only using one hand, the other still clasped in Elizabeth's) and sat on a seat, watching the medic move fast, clearing away the blood off of her, and cleansing the head wounds.

"They always bleed the most, but not always the most serious." He explained quietly as they sped along the road, careful, but fast. Will merely nodded as every turn they took; Lizzie would grip his hand tighter. Just the thought of her gripping his hand tightly let him know she would be alright.

When they arrived at the hospital, he let go of her hand, much to her panic it seemed. She took deep, ragged breaths, and her eyes opened wildly, her arm reaching out to something that was not there. Darcy hated to see her like that. He wanted to help, but he had to give particulars to the nurses, and the front desk. Also, they had to take her into the ER, so he had to stay until she was stable.

"She's going into shock." Came the worried medic from behind her as they wheeled her into the double doors. Indeed, it seemed as though she was about to crack at any moment. Darcy followed quickly, but was stopped at the end of the hall by a doctor. He knew this would happen, but he couldn't bear to be away from her, not when she was in danger. The doctor was saying something, but he couldn't hear him. All he could see was her being lead away, her head turning quickly, desperately. Will walked as many steps as he dared, and stopped. As they turned her, taking her into a room, Lizzie finally got to look back.

Time froze as their eyes made contact. His breath stole from him at the desperation in her gaze, and her beauty though wet, and hurt, still pretty. He didn't know how he could have ever thought she was anything else, she was amazing. Her eyes flashed from one emotion to the next, surprise, pain, shock, blank, recollection, and for some reason, ended in anger. Why was she angry? That look as they wheeled her in would haunt him until he knew why she gazed at him so.

The doctor rapid fire drilled Darcy about everything, taking in all of the contact information that Will knew, until both were annoyed with the other for various reasons. Darcy hated the fact the doctor was mad that he was more worried about the patient, then the fact that he didn't know her home phone number. The doctor was annoyed that Darcy was vaguely paying attention. In the end, Darcy was seated in the waiting area, twiddling his thumbs, and waiting for her to be finished with. He didn't know how she would react when he saw her, but he definitely would see her, and talk.

Darcy knew that he had to squelch any thought of when he had told her he loved her. That had to be put to an end instantly. If it didn't, then she might think he actually liked her! That would not do, for as the doctor came out and told Will that he could see her in the morning, his panic faded, and logic returned. Though she was pretty, witty, intoxicating, exotic, and sarcastic, her rank would not do for his.

But what was there to say? Honestly, as Darcy racked his brain (he always had to be prepared) he couldn't find a single thing to talk about with her. He knew it would be stupid to walk into the room and say, "Hey, I saved your life! By the way, I didn't mean the part where I said I loved you." That certainly wouldn't bode well. Also, she might simply laugh at him, and say something he would hate to hear.

Why did he care that she heard? Because there was no reason for an attraction! There was no reason for him to like her, for she was simply not his type. He usually went for the more silent, higher ranked, successful, blonde and simpering. The type that relied on him. It was a low thing to go for, but it made a relationship more easy to deal with than a perceptive person laying claim to every one of his faults.

Darcy was beginning to get a headache, like he usually did when something wasn't easy to deal with. His job was hard enough, managing so many different places all around the world, but now for some poor American girl to rampage into his life, things were getting worse! With a sigh, he ran his hands through his damp hair, and saw how muddled his suit was. Groaning in fatigue, he leaned back, the light in the hallway fading as the nurse saw him settling to sleep.

Rubbing his eyes, Will fell asleep. He didn't care that it was only 7:00 in the evening, he was feeling rather beaten and sore. At first, he had slight suspicion that Whickham might come up behind him, and do something stupid, but as darkness clouded his vision as he fell into slumber –even though he told himself that he would forget his attraction and anything to do with her after making sure she was fine- all he could see was Elizabeth's look of anger as they wheeled her away, and the suspicion in her eyes that told him something was wrong.

Darcy woke the next morning, his back stiff, and his muscles tense from how he had slept the whole night. Someone was standing in front of him, a notepad in hand, and an accusation in her eyes.

"Yes ma'am, how can I assist you?" He groaned, stretching to get the blood rushing back to his arms. The nurse raised an eyebrow, and tapped on her notepad.

"Who are you with, and why are you here?" She demanded crankily, now tapping a foot. Darcy managed to tell her the information, and she –grudgingly satisfied- walked away, flipping on a light in the hallway, blinding him momentarily. Will blinked several times before he was able to see without dots clouding his vision. Grinning slightly, he stood up, and went to the restroom to clean himself up.

He looked a hell of a lot worse than he thought, with bags under his eyes, rumpled suit, and stubble on his chin. With a grumble, he washed his face, letting it air dry as he walked down the hall to the room that they had taken her into. Glancing at the clipboard on the door, it said that her, and some 40-year-old man were in there. Putting on a businesslike air, he opened the door, and came face to face with none other than Jack Whickham himself. The day couldn't get any worse.

**Oh no! Not another Cliff hanger!! What will he do? How will he survive the torment? Maybe Jacky boy has bad breath? Or maybe he looks worse than Darcy! YAY! I hope so, but maybe he'll look better, for Lizzie's sake. Oh no! What happened to her? Is she ok? Find out next time in!...**

**Chapter 5!!! If I get 15 reviews, you'll get this one asap! **

**I have to admit, this chapter's kinda lame… so yeah, I don't care if you're UBER mean to me, I would deserve it. **

**-The writer. ******


	5. LSD?

**OK! Now that this whole thing is getting rolling, I have to tell you all that my other keyboard is actually squished under a bunch of tires (looooooooooong story) so, I've been typing this whole thing in between exams! Just finished math, and now I'm moving onto science! YAY SCIENCE! I hate science, as you can see if you understand my sarcasm. It's too molded into stone. Nothing can change things when a scientist says something is something. But I guess that's why I like fanfiction! It let's me create something out of something else… like salsa. I got salsa on my other keyboard as well, so my mother's not too pleased with me as of right now…**

"**I am perfectly serious in my refusal. -- You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world, who would make you so…" Chapter 19**

Lizzie woke up in slight pain. She could barely move, and now she realized how the patients really felt when they woke up from being drugged. It was something to ponder, and now she knew why so many didn't like the fact, and often resisted the IV. Now she wouldn't laugh at them for being so whiney.

Her head felt rather fuzzy, and her vision was clouded. She blinked slowly, until she realized that she could only see out of one eye. Panic gripped her stomach as her hand (ridden with a few tubes snaking up her arm, and some tape securing the tubes in place) flew up rather sluggishly to her face, and she felt where her eye used to be. Instead, there was a white strip of gauze taped around it. She blinked, and relaxed slightly as she felt her "missing eye" blink.

Hearing a "beep!" in a slow procession, Lizzie turned to see her heart rate on the scanner as relatively normal. Of course, after that small episode of panic, it was slightly out of wack, but not enough to draw a nurse's attention.

With a groan, Lizzie tried to asses the situation in a doctor's perspective. She was obviously injured –she noted the cast on her leg- with an eye injury it seemed, leg injury, minor cuts and bruises, and by the feel on her chest, her seatbelt had ripped open skin when it got stuck.

She was relatively in good condition, considering what had happened. True, she was now getting a headache, but that was manageable, considering everything else that hurt. Lizzie wasn't even sure if she would have been able to get out of the car without any help right after the crash.

The car! Suddenly, the whole scene erupted into her mind's eye, showing her everything that had happened from point A, to point B. It especially focused in on point B. Point B being when they turned the corner, and Will Darcy was standing there, looking at her with worry and something else that Lizzie really didn't want to address. _Not now, not __ever_, she thought groggily, trying to scoot farther down into the bed for a comfortable position. No such luck, and Lizzie also wouldn't laugh at them when they complained of being uncomfortable either.

There was a subtle knock on the door, and a nurse accompanied by a doctor walked in cheerily, a tray of food in hand, and a few other things that Lizzie was too tired to identify, or care about.

"You were lucky. If you hadn't been found when you were, you could have suffocated when you went into shock." The doctor went right into business, clicking on a small lighting device that now showed her broken leg. Luckily, it was a clean snap, therefore, easier to heal.

"This here is a clean break. That makes it easier to heal." (See? I told you!) The doctor droned, pointing right at the point where everything had broken. He then proceeded to give Lizzie the gory details about everything that had happened, including when the disrespectful young man who had helped her ignored him completely, and had tried to go into the room to see her.

Lizzie jumped slightly, and her heart monitor beeped a little quicker.

"Is he a boyfriend, miss?" The nurse asked kindly, handing her the tray, and then checking her for signs of fatigue.

"Most definitely not!" Lizzie snapped as her eyes grew wide, her breath slightly quicker. Her heart rate jumped up a little, and the doctor pursed his lips.

"Not trying to make anyone jump about when the doctor's giving details, I was just noticing how he spent the night in a plastic chair, every now and then mumbling, "Elizabeth," under his breath, and he's just woken up right now, asking how you are." The nurse replied dreamily, obviously thinking about how handsome he was.

"He spent the night here?" Lizzie asked, comprehension dawning on her face. The nurse gave a small smile, and nodded slowly as a thoughtful look crept across the face of the patient. The nurse knew for a fact that the man in question was very much in love with the girl, and knew that the girl had no clue. The nurse didn't want to fill her in though; it would spoil the ending.

There was a loud banging on the door, and Lizzie covered her ears slightly, grumbling in protest. The nurse pursed her lips, and went to answer the door that opened to reveal a battered and bruised Jack.

"Lizzie, darling! How are you feeling?" He exclaimed, his voice way too loud for Lizzie's comfort. With a wince, she managed to reply, but her curiosity was certainly piqued. Will had said the evening before that Jack was drunk. If he was drunk, it had not been but about ten minutes since she had left, would it have taken only ten minutes for the alcohol to take effect? She hoped so; if that want true then she wouldn't have to doubt what he had told her when he explained Darcy. But if he had been drunk, then why wasn't he cuffed for DUI?

Will Darcy. Someone who seemed so mysterious, proud, arrogant; a ruiner of hopes, dreams, loves, and anything that makes others happy. But if that was so true, then why had he saved her? All Darcy had had to do was call the ambulance, and wait for the medics to help them out. Instead of that, he had accompanied her all the way to the doors of the room almost, watching her, and taking care of her. The only thing there that hadn't grated on her nerves, as she remembered so ashamedly.

To have to take help from someone like him was something that Lizzie felt that she could never live down. She had to find out for herself what was right. If Jack was telling the truth about Darcy, it would show the next time she saw him. As of now, she felt too embarrassed to actually see him without feeling an awkward situation bubbling in the background. If Jack was lying, Lizzie was sure she would be able to tell. It couldn't be that hard to spot a man's lies, could it?

"Lizzie? Darling, are you even listening to me?" Interjected an amused voice from the real world. Lizzie jerked awake from her thought process, and looked back down at the food, and then the handsome man in front of her, sitting a chair that was as close as possible without seeming dangerous. The doctor was writing a few things down as he scanned the heart rate monitor, and recorded the data. With a curt nod, he then walked out, slightly put out that his patient hadn't asked why he was writing so much stuff down. Lizzie didn't bother to tell him she knew the exact reason he did so; it would probably break his heart that he was taking care of a med. Student.

"I'm sorry Jack, I'm just slightly tired." She said, feeling slightly apologetic, but slightly annoyed that she had to pay attention. The medicine the nurse injected into the tubes leading to her bloodstream was making her feel slightly woozy, and she had to concentrate on only one thing at a time, or she felt dizzy.

"I was saying that I'm horribly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you at all; the car lost control of me, and I couldn't turn the wheel before I was spinning into you car!" Jack said sweetly, taking her hand. He pressed his lips to her skin, and a warm, electric feeling took over her senses. Lizzie took a sharp breath, and all accusations she had felt towards him disappeared instantly. Well, almost all of them.

"Darcy said you were drunk." She pointed out as her words slurred slightly. Jack looked up sharply, and for a moment Lizzie saw a calculating anger that shook her to the core. That moment passed however, and his charming smile took over his face once again.

"Why do we have to talk about that insufferable beast?" He asked as he glided one finger over her hand, but she woozily pulled it away.

"Just answer whether you were drunk or not, please?" Lizzie replied, looking at him full in the face. Jack gave a small bark of laughter, and stood up.

"I'll come back when the medication wears off. My dear Lizzie, I will see you soon." He said gallantly, and after brushing his lips against her cheek (the nurse was still sitting in the room, observing with raised eyebrows) began to walk out of the room. He walked right into the door however, much to the medical assistant's amusement.

"Why can't you answer?" She asked with a spark in her eye; she was fighting against the pain killer that left her tired.

"Lizzie, I wasn't drunk. Please believe me, I wasn't." Jack cried in agitation as he turned around, zipping up his jacket as he did so. "I lost control, and it all happened so fast. Really, you have to know me! Can't you see darling that I am in love with you faster than anything? I've only met you and talked with you for a day, but I feel like I've loved you for forever! All I want is a chance, but if you can't notice this, I guess I will have to suffer countless ages in agony of your rejection! I could kill myself!!"

Both Lizzie and the nurse were in stages of shock. Lizzie raised her eyebrows, and her jaw dropped dramatically. The nurse's eyes bugged out, and she gaped before realizing that she shouldn't be listening at all. Quickly, she busied herself with checking the monitors surrounding the poor girl, and hoped that she could see through his obvious lies.

Lizzie was too shocked to say anything. She could only look at him with shock and a question in her eyes. She couldn't believe for one moment that he loved her! True, it felt like she had known him for a long time, but now she felt rather confused. One moment, he's annoyed and the next he's professing love! She once thought Darcy bi-polar, but now she could see who the real bi-polar one was. And then the whole walking into the door… that was just weird.

"Please, say words!" He begged, his eyes wide, his brow creased in worry. Lizzie shuffled uncomfortably, and coughed slightly.

"This is… unexpected." She commented lightly. Jack looked at her, and then he exploded.

"SO this is what I'm supposed to go through! Hours upon hours of talking, years of knowing you, and talking to you, and now I'm supposed to jump right out of here when we've been engaged for months!" he practically yelled as he rushed foreword to her, grabbing her hands. Lizzie was now positively worried. What was he talking about? She hadn't even known him for a whole day! She now knew something was horribly wrong. She struggled to pull her hands away, but he was holding them fiercely, and was tugging on them angrily.

"Jack? Are you ok? Will you let go you stupid bugger??" Lizzie asked as she wrenched her hands away from his. With a snarl, Jack raised a hand, but the nurse stepped foreword, her initial shock over.

"That will do Mr. Jack, or whatever your name is. You need to leave right now, or I will be forced to call security." She said in a loud, angry voice. Jack stopped, and focused on her for a moment, his eyes dilated.

"Georgie! I've missed you baby, c'mon, let's get away before your brother takes us away!" He exclaimed, trying to hug the nurse. The nurse pushed him away angrily, and directed him to the door.

"I see how it is! First, my first love pushing me away, you know, Georgie, you're just like your idiot brother! AND OUR WEDDING'S OFF MATTIE!" He cried, tugging on his ring finger, and throwing something invisible at Lizzie. The nurse rolled her eyes. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, wondering who the devil Mattie was.

"I'm not engaged to you, and what are you talking about?" She asked, trying to get up from her bed. The nurse told her to sit down, and then told him to leave. With a snarl, Jack once again walked into the door, before wrenching open the silly object, and coming face to face with Will Darcy.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Darcy was in a state of shock. With an inward groan, he assessed the situation, and had to blanch at it. Jack was right in front of him, and also was positively seething or something. The nurse behind him was raising eyebrows in the gentleman in question, and Lizzie looked positively pale as she tried to stay upright to see what would happen.

"I'M NOT SCREWING YOUR SISTER!" Jack screamed at him, and pushed Darcy roughly out of the way, propelling himself out of the room, and into a police officer. The officer then looked at the situation, before grabbing Jack by the scruff of his collar, and hauling him down the hall. Will blinked a few times before anger set in. How dare that man say such profound things in public? What was the matter with propriety these days? No one had it, it seemed, and it took him a moment before he realized what he was supposed to be doing.

Will stepped into the room lightly, trying his best not to let his gaze linger on the surprised, curious, and suspicious face of his beloved Elizabeth. _She's not my beloved, _he inwardly berated himself.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion. I didn't know you had visitors." He began as he made his voice take on a stiff, businesslike air. Lizzie raised her eyebrows before looking away with a nod. He then noticed a blush creeping up her face, and her ears turning a slight red of embarrassment. Why was she embarrassed? There was no reason, unless she was doing something she wasn't. But no, she couldn't have! The nurse was right there, looking at him with a wide smile on her face!

"It's fine sir, but please make sure she stays calm, that was a rather sick episode for someone right after a crash." She said softly before she took her leave in a much quieter manner than Jack. Darcy stepped into the room a little more, and looked her over.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, forcing himself to turn away from the eyes that held him with an emotion he couldn't identify. What was she thinking?

"As right as anyone could hope to be." She said simply, leaning back slightly into her pillows, her eyes holding him with something more than just civility. What was it that plagued her so?

"I'm glad. You had many people worried… they feared the worst." He said with a small smile as he looked back at her. Lizzie gave him a suspicious look, and he hurriedly turned away, and looked out the window in the room. He leaned against the mantle, and tried not to turn back.

"About last night… I really should thank you. I didn't expect it." She said as she tugged at the blanket, the blush creeping back across her face slightly. Darcy raised his eyebrows, and turned back to her sharply, anger beginning to worm its way into his breast.

"You were surprised? And may I ask why?" He demanded it more than asked it, his voice coming out in a hiss as he saw her raise her eyebrows in shock.

"I've heard so many different things about you… it contradicts everything else that you've done. It certainly puzzles me a lot." She said as she gauged his reaction. Will stood there in shock, his eyes wide, and his expression verging onto furious. What had she heard? What had Whickham told her that made her so curious? Darcy needed to know, nay, he demanded it.

"I would most certainly hope that you wouldn't try to paint my personality right now. I am sure that there are some people who hate me, and some who are partial to me. Right now, you might be leaning towards those who hate me, and have probably been misconstrued about the truth. I'd hope you wouldn't try to figure me out in a hospital bed with nothing more to do." He snapped, crossing the room. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, but was silent.

Darcy was thinking of leaving. He knew that what he had said had set her mind in a state of an all time high, and he desired to know once again what she thought of him. He wanted to leave, but was caught unawares by the sudden smile on Lizzie's lips are she regarded him steadily.

"Of course. In all kindness then, I thank you for helping out as much as you did." She told him, her voice even, her eyes dancing. Darcy looked at her incredulously, but in seeing her smile, he could not but smile as well. Lizzie was taken aback by the drastic change it brought to his guarded features, but Darcy didn't know that.

"Really… it was no problem," And it was then that Darcy remembered why he had come. It was to push her away, not pull her in! "It was just something to do, I suppose."

" Just something to do? So it was not done in good character, or partiality to helping others?" She snapped, the flush rising to her cheeks. When she received no response, Lizzie pressed the small button that summoned a nurse. The door opened moments later to reveal the same nurse, who had the same twinkle in her eye. Smiling politely, she walked foreword, took Lizzie's tray, and dropped it on a trolley that was right outside the door.

"I think you should leave now, Mr. Darcy." She stated in an offhand voice. With a grim nod, Darcy turned his heel, and was about to leave when he stopped. Turning around, he then dropped the letter onto her bed, informing her of the ball being a month away, and at Netherfield. Without a backwards glance, he stalked outside of the room, and then out of the hospital, where he called a taxi to take him to his car that he had stupidly left on the side of the road.

--------- ------ ---------

Lizzie leaned back into her pillows and fumed. She was frustrated because she couldn't figure out exactly who this Mr. Darcy was. One moment he was kind and generous, and the next he was chastising her, and saying he only did it because it was simply something to do. What kind of person says that? And then there was the Jack Whickham matter! What was his deal? He honestly seemed slightly off his rocker, and insane.

As the nurse tidied the room up, she picked up the invitation, and set it on the small stand next to the bed.

"I heard in the hallway that that fellow who was in your room first was high. Ms. Bennett… he was on LSD. That's why he was acting the way he was. He was right at the beginning of a LSD trip. But believe me, even if he wasn't on drugs, I wouldn't believe a word he said. He's not someone to trust, I'll warn you." She said nonchalantly, patting the girl's head, and walking out of the room quickly. Yes, the nurse decided, it would be better not to spoil the ending.

Grumbling about the insanities she now found herself in; Lizzie spent an hour or so flipping through channels until the doctor came in and told her that she could leave. When Lizzie asked what the bill was, the doctor then informed her that the bill had already been paid for by the man who had stayed the night in the plastic chair.

Darcy strikes again.

"State your name and where you're from."

"I'm Jacky boy. I'm from Candy Land you loony head."

"What were you doing in Elizabeth Bennett's room?"

"Who? Oh, I was in Mattie's room. She's a swell cow."

"How long have you been combining LSD, and alcohol?"

"Who? Oh man, that stuff is the best. You should try it one of these days."

"Indeed. Are you aware that LSD is illegal?"

"You're not gonna tell the po-lice man on me, are you cuz?"

"I am a police man, not your cousin."

"You are!? Oh that's not fair; I didn't even get to fly across Candy Cane Mountain!"

"You're going to be fined a very big fine for this one, 'Jacky boy'."

"As long as I can pay in cookies, and get back to my Mattie, I'll be just fine."

"You keep thinking this, Jack Wickham."

"How do you know my name?"

"You seem to not remember that you're a regular here. You are always being brought in here for drugs, disturbing the peace, and DUI."

"Are you a psychic?" There is a small sigh from the officer across the table.

"I'm whatever you want me to be."

Lizzie was picked up from the hospital by a worried Jane. She had finally recovered enough to leave Netherfield, and also –though she would never say it- was glad to get away from Caroline's company. Caroline could be nice, but her constant hints about how much richer she was than Jane was beginning to irk her. Also, she had classes the next day, so if she couldn't go back, then she would have to make up for a lot of work.

When Jane had heard by a worn-out Darcy as he walked into Netherfield that morning that her sister had gotten into a crash, she got her bag, and left immediately. She gave a quick good-bye to Caroline who had already ordered Jane's car to be dropped off at their house, and then to Charlie. Darcy had disappeared into the Library where she knew he would never be found. Once he was absorbed into his own world, there was no pulling him out.

Incidentally, when Charlie had walked her out to her car, he "slipped" on the walk way, and captured Jane between the car and him. Instead of instantly moving away like he would normally do nervously, Charlie gave Jane their first kiss together. He then asked her to be his girlfriend. A happy Jane readily agreed, and in joy at being accepted, he kissed her again.

That's how it ended up Charlie actually driving up, and Jane walking into the hospital to help her sister who was on crutches out of the walk. With a cheery grin that couldn't seem to be wiped off of his face, Charlie helped her into the back, and offered to drive them home, and help Lizzie get situated.

Lizzie had been told that she could take off the gauze when she had a proper eye patch to help heal her eye. There had been a piece of glass cut in her eye, and they had worked quickly to stop the infection, but that is rather hard when it is the eye. To block infection, the doctors had put Neosporin on the gauze, and applied it to her eye. She would have to keep the patch on for about four weeks.

Her leg was broken, but thankfully a clean break. She would have to keep the cast on for five weeks. The rest was a series of cuts and bruises, except the stitching along her chest, starting from the shoulder, and ending at her other hip. It simply came from the seatbelt, but it had cut in so deep, that there was minor stitching on one side. That would be taken out in four weeks. In the end, she had had a minor concussion, but other than that, Lizzie had come out of the wreck rather lucky. She might have lost her eye if they hadn't been able to act so quickly. In all actuality, she would have lost her eye if Darcy hadn't been there.

Lizzie knew this, but for some reason, couldn't get a grip on it. She also couldn't get a grip on Jack Wickham on LSD. That would explain why he was acting so weird, but why would he need drugs?

"There's always a catch." She whispered as Charlie chattered to a grinning Jane. Lizzie had never seen her so happy, and when Charlie left, she would order her to spill the beans about it, but until then, she was basically concentrating on trying to figure out whether she liked Darcy or not.

But he had said so himself that he thought that he should have a right to be proud. He was proud, arrogant, rich, self absorbed, and cold. Everything Lizzie hated about someone. Also (though she secretly hoped it was true so that she could have a reason to hate him) she wasn't sure entirely if he had done the things Jack had said he had done.

"ERGH." She mumbled to herself as she pressed her head against the window. It was so much simpler to hate Darcy when he wasn't going around and rescuing people! But the only reason he had helped was because it gave him something to do. That in itself was straight from the donkey's mouth, so she couldn't doubt that. Then why did she?

Those two men were enigmas, and Lizzie resolved to figure them out. But first, she'd have to get through the problem of Collins. Again.

"Oh Lizzie! I knew you shouldn't have gone to work, what Catherine De Bourg would have done if she had gotten hit on a night like that, she would have thrown a fit! What's wrong with your eye, I hope it's fixable! I know just the thing to cheer you up, let's go and get lunch!" He babbled the moment Lizzie opened the door. With an inward groan, Lizzie accepted to go with him, knowing that if she didn't, her mother would be in an uproar.

The date was one of the worst Lizzie had ever been on. If he was not blathering on with paragraph long sentences that left Lizzie wondering when he was able to take a breath, then he was examining her cast with exuberance that made her self conscious. She wore baggier pants so that she could pull something over her cast, but whenever he would lean over the edge of the table, he would knock his palm against the cast, and smile at her like a little boy at Christmas time.

"Lizzie dear, I think that I should sign your cast! I'll write it right here, so that whenever you look at it, you see my name!" He exclaimed, finally saying a sentence that wasn't a page worth's of typing. Lizzie –thinking that getting your cast signed was something that kids did- protested as kindly as she could, noting that his tie was soaking up his soup in the soup bowl. Quite repulsive when you feel like crap, and Lizzie felt very bad indeed. After getting into a wreck, it's like your whole body hurts, and you want nothing more than to lie down ( A/N my sister could barely move from her bed for awhile, she had really bad whiplash from the initial crash, and then the whole bruising thing was pretty nasty…) and sleep. Sleep would let her try to get her mind off of the three guys that plagued her so.

And with that in mind, after being taken home by a rather crestfallen Collins who didn't get a kiss –not on her life- Lizzie fell onto her bed, letting her sister deal with the insurance company and such. That was one of the great things about Jane's constant mothering. She took one look at Lizzie, and sent her instantly to bed, one of the only times she used force in situations. That's another great thing about the fatigue of a car wreck. They cause you to sleep, but thank god for this, not to dream. It's almost like a blackout, and for that, Lizzie was thankful. She was the lucky one, for when Darcy went to sleep that night; his dreams were riddled with her, and only her.

Because there was no doctor note saying otherwise, Lizzie involuntarily went to school a couple days later. It would have been easier if she hadn't had a broken leg though. She then had to transfer all of her thick, heavy books into her back pack, and keep it on one shoulder; the left one was horribly bruised from being jerked back by the seatbelt. With a groan, she repositioned her book bag, and propelled herself foreword by her crutches, trying to shake the ache from her.

She made it through her first two classes just fine, but on the way to lunch, her book bag split, and her books tumbled out with a definite crash. Groaning outwardly, Lizzie bent down to pick them up, when gentle hands moved hers away from them, and gathered them into a pile.

"Can I help?" Came the recognizable tones of a familiar voice. Lizzie would have groaned, but just hearing him made her frown turn "up-side down" and into a smile. He then kindly led her over to the nearest place (ice-cream shop) where he proceeded to order two chocolate ice-cream cones (she didn't bother to ask how he knew it was her favorite) and finally set down across from her, and simply stared.

Lizzie had a million questions to ask him, but didn't know where to start. He seemed much more different, and less insane than the last time she had seen him. It had only been about a week, but it felt like longer. He seemed so content to just sit there, and hold her hand. She knew they were both waiting for someone to start talking, but neither wanted to break the silence that enveloped them. Finally, Jack Wickham screwed up the courage to asses the situation.

"I have a problem Lizzie. I have a big problem, and it's drugs. I can't explain why I mess with them, but I… I need help." He stated as he stared at the small ice cream cone in his hands.

"How long has this been going on?" She asked with surprisingly no surprise in her voice.

"About a month that I got out of prison for disturbing the peace that Will Darcy was able to pin on me, I sought help. After losing her like that… I needed something to find solace in. The first thing I found was alcohol, and the second… drugs."

Lizzie was silent for a few moments. She had felt something slightly off at first, but her attraction to him covered any suspicion. When he had kissed her so sweetly, it made her alive, and innocent. Now to hear the truth of everything brought reality rushing back, and she felt anger towards Darcy that she had never felt before. To cause someone to sink so low in themselves that they took illegal substances for help was sickening. She knew now that she would never be able to forgive Darcy for anything that he had ever done.

"That's… horrible! That's just sickening! So when you told me about what he had done… that wasn't the drugs or the al-"

"Never! When I see you, my mind is cleared, and I feel like I can tell you anything! Afterwards, when you left, I thought that you didn't want me anymore, so I drank a bit. My car's brakes locked up, and I skidded to a stop; coincidently right into your car. The regret I feel for hurting you is so deep… I feel awful!" He cried with remorse, grabbing her hands, and kissing each lightly.

"Really, I lost control of my car too. It's not just your fault!" Lizzie cried, shaking her head. She looked deep into his eyes, and saw truth. As one to judge when people were lying to her, she deemed him worthy of the truth, and commended him for it. Guys were easy to read; they couldn't lie really good, could they?

"Yea, but I still feel awful. And I got a breathalyzer test at the hospital. Apparently, Darcy couldn't keep his mouth shut. The girl officer who gave it to me was a friend though, so she let me off when I explained the situation." He said lightly, taking a huge bite of his ice-cream cone.

They sat there for awhile, just chatting amiably with each other. Lizzie could disregard everything he had done, just as long as he stayed with her. Whenever he touched her, even in the silliest way, Lizzie would feel a strange tingling under her skin, and didn't want it to stop. She felt childish though, and hated as much as she loved it. In the end, he offered to drive her over to her house, and they watch a movie together.

Knowing the amount of homework she had piled up, Lizzie politely, but regretfully declined the offer. With a rueful smile, Jack took her books, and walked her to his car, saying that he could at least take her home. Nodding, Lizzie accepted readily, knowing that Jane wouldn't be ready to pick her up for another hour or so.

It was not a long drive, but a relaxed one. Jack would every now and then intertwine his fingers with hers, and smile, and Lizzie would simply grin cheerfully in response. As they pulled up to her apartment, Lizzie turned to get out, when Jack grabbed her none too gently, and kissed her. Lizzie was surprised, but not annoyed. In fact, if her crutch wasn't stuck in the door, she would have leaned in more, and deepened the kiss. It felt perfect, just sitting there, all the passion without anything but his lips pressed against hers. Lizzie would have kept kissing him if he hadn't pulled away, and said hoarsely, "Lizzie, you better limp your way to your apartment, or I might have to take advantage of a very pretty girl."

With a smile, and a wink, Lizzie awkwardly scrambled out of the car, and managed to get up the walk way in one piece before forgetting that her books were in his car. With a smile, she thought deviously, _at least it gives me another reason to see him. _

The weeks peeled slowly away, and as did Lizzie's injuries. Soon enough, she had her cast off, and could walk around the house before feeling her knee become weakened. Her interesting eye patch was gone, and her eye didn't show any scarring, or blindness. The doctor informed her that that was good luck; not knowing that she already knew the gory details, her professor in one of her classes informing her of that. Jane worked with her to gain back her leg strength, and Collins helped in irritating her. Mrs. Bennett had already invited him to accompany her to the ball, and he had readily accepted.

Jane and Bingley were doing well. She went so far as to kissing him one time right when Lizzie walked into the room. Jane was a shy creature, so when she realized this, she blushed a deep red, but Bingley merely pressed his lips to her, and kept the kiss going. Lizzie was happy for them, but for five weeks, she had only heard from Jack twice. He dropped off her books the next day after their kiss, and then called to tell her that he had been invited to the Netherfield party, and was going to come as well.

"You're going to come?!" Lizzie exclaimed as she made dinner for Jane, Charlie, and herself. She did a small happy dance when he confirmed it with a yes.

"Darcy's going to be there." She cautioned him lightly, hoping that that wouldn't discourage him.

"It is not for me to shy away from him. If he wants to avoid me, he must leave, not I. I want to be with the most beautiful girl of all, and not even he is going to stop that."

That made Lizzie even more excited than she cared to admit. After not hearing from him since then, she had been slightly discouraged, but the night of the Netherfield ball, Lizzie took careful precision to getting ready. She tried to style her hair in an up-do that kept her curls in place, but only succeeded in some of them falling out and about her face. She put on little makeup, only eyeliner, and mascara. Jane picked out a very pretty chocolate brown silk charmeuse dress by Jovani. It held a full skirt, and a floor length train that Lizzie liked. The only thing that discouraged her was the slit up to her thigh on one side, but she was quickly reassured by Jane that it was ok.

Jane was clad in a baby blue dress that swirled down and stopped at the floor, accentuating everything that made people jealous about her. Her hair was in a high ponytail, and curled. Bingley wouldn't let her wear any makeup, saying that she didn't need any anyway. He was the one that offered to drive them up, and they accepted gladly, for Lizzie knew that if she drove up by herself, she might have a spaz attack.

It had been a month or so since the wreck, but whenever Lizzie got behind the wheel, she felt a pressure squeeze her chest, and she couldn't breathe well. She had avoided it since, but also knew that she needed to get over her childish behavior, and get back on the wagon.

The ride there was amiable, Jane and Charlie holding hands while he drove. Lizzie sat in back, feeling slightly the third wheel. She hoped the feeling would pass when she saw Wickham. Just the thought of him made her smile, and when they arrived, she was so excited to see him, that she began looking for him. After meeting up with Charlotte Lucas, she then chatted with her about everything that had happened, much to the shock of her friend.

"The poor boy! Falling victim to drugs because of him!" Charlotte exclaimed, raising a gloved hand to her chest. They stood next to the stairs that descended down to the ball room that way they could see all who came; Lizzie didn't want to miss seeing Wickham.

"It only worsens my opinion of that horrible man." Lizzie muttered darkly, seeing him walk past slowly, Caroline's sharp nails digging into his arm. In another time and place, she might have felt bad, but now she certainly didn't

"Lizzie? I'm Denny, Lydia's…Lydia, stop! Oh, sorry, Lydia's friend! I've a message from your friend, Jack." The man named Denny said, his figure and looks reminding Lizzie of a model. One glance at the rest of Lydia's company, and Lizzie had no doubt that they all were. Their uncle was training boys with potential to become models, and it seemed that Denny would be a good choice. He had the pretty blue eyes, and blonde hair, and a good smile.

"What's the message?" Lizzie asked, noticing uncomfortably how Darcy was looking at her… again. It always unnerved her whenever she noticed, but ever since she found out his true nature, she just grew angry.

"He regrets not being able to come. Some work with the modeling industry has kept him busy. He's trying to become one. Also, I have no doubt that he would have been able to come, if certain men weren't about the room this night." And with that, the whole group of models merged off to the dance floor, Lydia in the middle; her voice carried to all corners of the room as one of the most annoying.

Soon enough, they were called to the dinner tables, and Lizzie found her name card coincidently right next to Will Darcy's. Telling herself not to say a word, the two sat in an awkward silence. Will wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked, and indeed she did. The moment she had walked into the room, he had noticed her. The light shadowing of her eyes that made them stand out to him, this night a deep green. Her curls, her beautiful curls that fell out of her bun in a gorgeous sort of way. He couldn't fathom anything more pretty, and he instantly set out to tell her so. The dress she wore added length to her, and gave an elegant, but seductive look about her. Darcy was instantly enchanted.

Of course, the moment that he had dared bring himself towards her, he heard the wretched man's friend give one excuse or another. Of course, the fool had chickened out, and left Elizabeth alone. He wanted to warn her that that is exactly what would happen every time he said he would do something, but when he saw the look of utmost disappointment cross her elegant features, he reminded himself not to talk to her, and so the dinner was spent in silence, broken only by the murmur of voices at other table's. The two other girls at the table were much too frightened to say anything when they saw the foreboding glare he gave everyone.

Dinner ended quickly, and for that Lizzie was grateful. Well, she was grateful at first. As soon as music was struck up, she found herself being pulled to the dance floor by a very determined Collins.

Lizzie wished that she could say that he danced well. Two words- he didn't. It was a simple waltz, four steps, but he made it much more difficult, and when you went left, he went right, and trod on her feet several times. Lizzie wished for a wild moment that someone would save her from the obvious embarrassment she was feeling, but the moment the song ended, she wished she had taken back her words. There is always the saying, "Be careful what you wish for." And with that, Lizzie knew that she had not been careful.

Darcy watched the strange little man drag the slim form of his Elizabeth to the dance floor. It was to his own embarrassment that Collins was such a bad dancer. Though he had promised not to even pay attention to the appealing Lizzie, he found the way she kept her countenance when he trod on her dress very well done, and when she was finally able to limp away from her pain –he remembered the broken leg, and knew that the whole stomping on her foot would not have helped- he felt moved to ask her to dance. He would show the little enigma of his how a gentleman danced.

"Would you dance with me, Miss Bennett?" Came a stiff, but nervous voice. Lizzie was sitting down, tenderly rubbing her foot. Her leg was beginning to hurt, and when she looked up, she observed the face of an edgy Will Darcy. Surprise flittered her features, and she was about to say no, but realized that she didn't have a proper excuse.

"Well…you see… I think my leg is… you know… uuuh, sure." She mumbled, looking back down as she bit back an angry remark to him.

"Pardon?" He asked with a hint of relief, and amusement.

"Yes." She groaned, and held up a hand, which fit into his perfectly. Will gave a small smile of victory as an electric shock ran through him at the simple touch. Knowing her leg was in pain, Will gently shifted her weight to him, so that when he led her to the dance floor her weight wasn't on her hurt leg. That was several steps past Collins, by a landslide. The music became slow, and steady, and Will placed one hand at the small of her back gently, the other holding her hand steadily.

They were in total silence at first. He had her pulled close to him, her very touch burning him, and heightening his confidence. His chin could have rested on her head, but he didn't make too bold a move. Her chest was pressed against his, and he tried to cover the impulse to kiss her right then and there. He then tried to remind himself that the only reason he was dancing with her was because he was showing her how a real gentleman danced. Taking her injuries to mind, He lead the whole time, his wide sweeping waltz in time, and helping her to merely have to glide along with him.

Lizzie hated the silence. She hated the way his smirk made her skin crawl, just like his hand at the small of her back. He had her pulled way too close in her opinion, her chest resting against his. The fact he lead the whole time just added to the disgust she felt for him.

"Are you not going to say a word, Darcy?" She asked with a slight smug sound in her voice. He was surprised that she was saying anything at all; he was too lost in his thoughts at finally having her with him.

"I will speak when you would like me to. Whatever do you wish to talk about?" He asked; his voice soft, and gentle. Is surprised her greatly, but she didn't let him know that.

"Maybe you should tell me about how you enjoy such balls, or how the size of the room fits the amount of couples." She responded, a droll voice taking over.

"You talk by rule then, when you're dancing?" He asked, noting that she and Collins hadn't talked the whole dance.

"When you're with certain company, yes. You have to have some rule to what you would say; especially when both people are taciturn people who only say things that they think will shock the entire room." Lizzie said, finally letting a small smile take over her face. She was beginning to get comfortable near him, and almost forgot that she hated him. He danced in an easy way, that put most weight off of her leg, and let her simply go in time with him, but he was obviously the leader.

"Certain company, Miss Bennett?" He asked, suddenly sharp. Lizzie was pulled back from the acknowledgement that maybe he wasn't so bad when she heard his tone. She had meant that statement to be a sharp one, but had forgotten that when she had looked in his eyes. They were a deep blue, and the depth of emotion that had filled her when she had seen them both shocked and intrigued her. When she heard his tone, it brought her back to the reason why she hated him.

"Yes, certain company. Some company is better than others. Just a while ago, I had the pleasure of meeting company that was easy to talk with." She pressed on, trying to stay calm. She didn't know whether or not he knew who she was talking about, but his next sentence confirmed that he knew.

"Mr. Wickham is someone who has the unnatural talent of making many friends. However, the talent of keeping them has escaped him." He hissed in her ear, twirling her around before pulling her even closer to him. Lizzie was surprised that he held such emotion in a statement. She pulled herself past her shock, and managed to reply, "He's been sadly unlucky to lose your friendship. True enough, it's most likely in a way that would damage him emotionally, and economically perhaps forever."

Darcy was silent for a moment. He knew that the conversation was not going how he wanted it to go. He wanted to pull her even closer, and hold her dearly, but he knew she was mad at him. It was that anger that made her even more beautiful though, so he had to respond.

"Sometimes people bring such sadness, as you call it, upon themselves." He replied as he tried to calm his voice. Just talking about that slimy man made him angry, but he couldn't afford to lose her, not now. The song was coming to a close.

As it ended, Lizzie took one look at him, and said vehemently, "Or maybe it is the pride of the man who did it to them." The song ended with a slight trill on the E minor, and she took it as leave to walk away. She didn't realize how seething Darcy was, until she reached the edge of the dance floor.

Darcy couldn't believe her words. His pride? What had Jack told her to make her so angry with him? Seeing her walk away so irritated made him begin to seethe at the thought of her liking Jack Wickham over him! With a snarl, he followed her to the edge of the dance floor, and grabbed her hand. He wasn't ready to let go yet!

Lizzie was shocked that he had followed her. When he grabbed her hand, a burning feeling erupted along her arm, and she wanted to let go. Still, she had to admit that it was cliché when he twirled her into his chest, and the music to a tango was struck up the moment they made contact. When she looked up, his eyes held nothing that they had before. All they held was contempt. It made her slightly afraid when he let one hand pass down her back slowly, and stopping right at the small of her back. It was a sickening feeling, and she had never felt so exposed. Wickham's kiss was nothing to this.

He pressed his knee in between her inner thigh, and spread her legs for the right positioning. The feeling he felt as he held her was a flame burning at her body against his. He pressed her against him angrily, and dipped her low. He snapped her up quickly after he let her dip slowly.

"Let me make something very clear to you, Miss Bennett." He hissed in her ear as he pulled her up from the dip. "I could care less for his opinion of me, or anything else." He then twirled her away from him, and pulled her back. He pulled her towards him as he walked backwards, following the intricate pattern of dance that he had been taught years ago.

"He probably cares even less of your opinion Mr. Darcy." She spat at him, hating the way he pulled her even closer, and leading her in a circle around him. Her dress pulled up slightly and swam around her, stopping lightly as he dipped her low, her back arching, her hair cascading down. Neither noticed the crowd gathering, or the look of surprise on the people's faces who knew both of them, and their utmost dislike of each other. The only one not surprised was Jane. She could see the spark between the two, and was quite happy to let them dance so intimately with each other.

"I never asked for his good opinion." He retorted, stung. He spun her away from him before pulling her back angrily with a smart tug. She twirled expertly back into his arms, and gasped silently at the feeling she felt in her. She hated it, the sensation of excitement that spread through her torso.

"He never asked for your disdain, or your condensation." She murmured delicately, knowing she struck a nerve as he dragged her across the dance floor, and pulling her up smartly. She could tell by the burning anger in his eyes that she had almost won.

But he wasn't ready to give up yet. With another low dip that brought his lips close to her throat, and pulling her up, breathed in her ear, "And I never asked for his betrayal." Lizzie gasped again as she felt his cool breath on her neck. It was surprising, and even more so when she realized that she wanted more. He twirled her away from him, and brought her back, if possible, bringing her closer to him, pressing his body angrily against hers. She felt exposed as his lips grazed her neck, and he twirled her around him again, the dress pulling up, the slit making her able to move around easier. He twisted himself around her, and she drew a leg up, pulling him closer to her, their breaths intertwining.

"What do you mean by betrayal? Mr. Darcy, if anyone should speak of betrayal, it should be him." She hissed lightly, her eyes flashing as she resisted the random impulse to kiss him. With a snarl, he dipped her low, before pulling her up, and twirling her again and again, loving how the dress complimented her figure. She was so easy to hate, but so much easier to love.

"And I should ask why he should dare claim betrayal, when it was him who caused this whole thing." He ground out as she pressed her hands against his chest when he spun her around. With a moan, he led her across the floor, their steps angry, and their eyes blazing. Lizzie was then dipped as he spun her around abruptly, and she arched her back, her eyes closing for one moment. She could feel the anger bubbling deep in her stomach, but though she hated to admit to it, she was beginning to grow desirous of his lips on her, his burning eyes. Where was this emotion coming from? Why was she feeling this way?

"Looks often deceive." She retorted heavily as he slid one hand down her back to steady her. There was an electric feeling that passed through her at his touch, and Darcy knew she could feel it; the look on her face said all.

"Is that so," He breathed in her ear as he tried to control his emotions. He felt angry, accused, annoyed, frustrated, but also he felt passion, he felt her body against his, and above all else, love. Just the thought of her with him made him try to forget all else, but it was a little hard to do so as she shot accusations in his ear. He loved the look in her eye as she tried to fight growing emotion as well as the rebellious challenge that made her say such things. Never before had he felt such things, or seen such things, and though he was angry, he was enjoying it immensely.

"Just like the look that you give people. You lie to surprise them. You treat them with disdain, but it only really means that you're jealous of the happiness that they might achieve when you realize that you're all alone." She whispered as he led her across the floor, spinning their bodies around and around, hoping to make the other claim defeat, but neither backing down.

"Why would I be jealous of him?" He asked heatedly, as he pushed her away before spinning around her, and bringing back the contact. They were becoming angry, their emotions getting out of control. Sooner or later, one would have to break the contact they were having trouble controlling, but neither wanted it to end.

"His hard work at happiness even though you ruined him." She replied as her breath became heavy. She knew the steps, and worked at keeping up, but her leg was beginning to hurt worse. She was slightly relieved at him dipping her low enough and bringing her up in such a way that it took most weight off of her leg.

"If happiness is drowning your failings in a bottle and in drugs, then there was no hard work in achieving that." He hissed in her ear as he let his hands glide down her arms, tingling at her touch. She snapped her head back sharply, and dared him to repeat it again. With a smirk, he repeated it as she pushed him away from her; he spun her away before walking back to her in a quick pace, and pulling her back.

"This song is not over." He breathed quietly as he dipped her. Lizzie had to give him at least kudos for pulling in a crowd. All were watching with mixed surprise, and fascination.

"You have a knack for drawing attention to yourself." She commented as they danced in that strange, exciting way that drew her attention. Darcy laughed, and merely replied, "It is a gift. You can not say that you have not enjoyed this."

Lizzie was shocked at his arrogance. As he swung her away, her trailing dress snapping at the force of his pulling her back, she put both hands on his chest, and hissed, "You disgust me."

The song was on its last leg. The performers were trying to keep up with the spinning couple, but were beginning to tire. As they were closing the song, Will dipped her as low as he dare let her go, her curls barely grazing the floor. His gaze was powerful as he snapped her up, the perfect image of an argumentative couple. As the music hit its last note, Darcy hissed in her ear, "That can be changed."

The music was over. Both parties were a frozen image; Darcy with one hand at the small of her back, the other at her shoulder blade, pressing her against him as much as he dare; Elizabeth with her hands pressed indignantly against his chest, trying to get away. Neither could tear their gaze away from each other as they waited for one to make a move. Neither heard the crowd break into a strong applause as they circled around even more to congratulate the immaculate dancing. Lizzie jutted her chin out, throat exposed. Darcy gazed down at her rebellious stare, and tried to resist the impulse to kiss her again.

As soon as one of the crowd members touched them, both parties broke contact, and walked away, faces drawn into the same emotion- anger. Jane looked at Charlie, and Charlie glanced at Jane. Both had faces of worry, but neither wanted to go after their seething friend and sister.

Darcy made a break for it. He walked out of the ball room as fast as possible, his anger finally bubbling over now that he wasn't looking at her anymore. It was impossible, but she was the one person that he could stand to make him angry. She was so beautiful, but so rebellious. He had vowed to force the girl out of his mind, but all he had succeeded in doing was basically telling her that he could change her opinion of him!

With a barely audible groan, he leaned against the pillar wall outside. Every now and then a small party would walk past, chatting about a very agreeable night. As he began to walk back inside when he overheard the shrieking –it was hard not to overhear- of Mrs. Bennett.

"Oh yes, we expect a very nice match indeed. He's rich after all, and very handsome. If anyone could disagree with that, then they need their head checked! Our Jane, always looking out for her family!" She crooned with a smug tone in her voice. She was talking with Mrs. Lucas and her sister, Mrs. Phillips. With an inward groan, he realized that in all his fantasizing about Lizzie, he had forgotten that Charlie was going out with Jane! But they had only been going out for about a month; people shouldn't be talking about marriage!

Walking quickly, he stepped back into the ball room to see Jane and Charlie dancing rather closing, whispering discreetly to each other. The band had calmed down a bit, and was playing a light air of music. But they couldn't be in love, could they? No, they simply couldn't be in love! As he watched the pair, he then felt a slight tugging at his elbow. Looking down sharply, Will saw to his horror that that horribly bad dancer who had injured Elizabeth was talking to him, and he didn't even know who he was!

"I think that I know who you are! You are Catherine De Bourg's nephew! I have had to pleasure of knowing Mrs. Catherine De Bourg for some time, and let me inform you that she is doing quite well, and is hoping for your visit to her at Easter…" Will had to confess to himself that he was tuning the strange man out, desperate for an escape away from him. With a slight nod to the fat man, Will walked away quickly, trying to get to his friend. Of course, he could not help but notice that Elizabeth had disappeared. Instead of feeling joyous, he could not help but feel that it was his fault.

That thought was pressed from his mind when he heard the most disastrous performance of his life. The music was stopped, and he saw to his horror that the middle daughter, Mary Bennett, was on the stage, singing into the microphone. Her voice was one of the worst he had ever heard in his life, and for someone to let poor, tone deaf girl stumble onto the stage… it was horrible.

Of course, when someone did stop her, it was no better. Mr. Bennett had finally made his appearance in company, and was not as good with social skills as he could have been.

"Mary, you've delighted this company long enough. Get off the stage now." He said none too loudly. Mary's eyes spilled over tears, and she rushed off the stage, dropping the microphone. Darcy secretly cursed the man, and banished the whole family from his thoughts. For people to be so socially inept was appalling, and any warm feeling he had for Elizabeth was now easily repressed.

Lizzie was scared. She was scared that her emotions had been shown so blatantly to the man she hated, and he had called her out for it. She rushed out of the room, and managed to hide from Collins. The embarrassment didn't end however much she wanted it to. She heard the distinct singing voice of her sister, and could just picture Will Darcy's looming out at her, a look of disgust ruining his handsome features. She spent the rest of the night in a small Library, where she waited until Jane found her. Lizzie didn't dance the rest of the night, so when they left, Jane was the one who did all of the talking. She spent the night at her parent's house, and Jane whispered sleepily to Lizzie, "I think he's the one." Lizzie thought that she meant Charlie was the one for Jane, but Jane was thinking that Darcy was the one for Lizzie.

Lizzie's dreams were wrought with dancing, and a blazing pair of eyes that held her so.

"Lizzie, could I speak with you… alone?" Mr. Collins asked delicately the next afternoon. Lizzie was with her father in his study, and when Mr. Collins asked this, both of them looked up, and glanced at each other with mixed amusement and horror.

"Sure." She said with a shrug, and followed him out of the study. Tossing a wink to her dad, she walked down the hall, and into the kitchen. With a leering grin, he grabbed her hand, and held it. Lizzie tried to mask a look of disgust, but with little success.

"Lizzie, let me tell you that you have captured my attention! I am in love with you so much that I can't believe it! I have many reasons as to why I would marry you. One, is that Mrs. Catherine De Bourg told me to go with my father on his business meetings to find a wife. She says to do this with most urgency."

_Oh no, don't marry for love, just do as the old crone says._

"Also, I have heard of your beauty, and after realizing that Jane had a boyfriend, I instantly thought of you as a suitor."

_Yes, tell me how my sister ranks higher. My mother already says that._

"Though we will have to stem the loud, brash, bossy, rebellious side of you, I am confident that you will do great once that is dealt with," _Oh yes, tell me how horrible I am, and that we will fix that,_ "and when that is done with, I will have a very loyal wife."

"Mr. Collins, I'm afraid that I have to say no."

"Of course, though I am more wealthy, I have to say that that won't get in the way of-"

"I've given my answer, and it's no." Lizzie interrupted, starting to walk away.

"Your mother said you'd say that." He muttered, putting his hands in his pockets for a lengthy wait.

"My mother says lots of things. But my answer is still no." She said at the doorway, turning back.

"Lizzie, I know how you girls like to put suspense in situations, that's quite alright."

"I'm not putting suspense! I would never ever marry you!" She exclaimed, walking back to him in anger, "Trust me, you could never ever make me happy, and I'm the last person in the world who could made you happy."

"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie, it's ok! I'll come back tomorrow, and act like I'm in all suspense before you tell me yes."

"Mr. Collins, I would never say yes to you." She hissed angrily. With a roll of her eyes, she walked out of the room, hearing his last words with vehemence.

"If you don't accept me Lizzie, you will most likely never get another proposition! It's not like you're that pretty!"

Lizzie stomped up the stairs, and over to her bedroom. Throwing the door open, she was about to tell the events to her sister, when she saw the girl in question sitting at her computer, tears in her eyes.

"Jane! What's wrong?" Lizzie asked immediately, rushing over to her. Jane couldn't reply, but merely pointed to the computer screen.

_Dear Jane,_

_I'm sorry to have to do this over E-mail, but as of right now, I'm about to board the plane to go back to England. I'm not sure how long I will be there, but because of this, I'm afraid I'm going to have to break up with you. It's not you, don't ever think that. I just have a lot of stuff on my hands, what with the business to run with Darcy, and of course, Caroline was hoping to see his sister again. She slipped it into conversation that she was hoping that one day she could call Georgiana her sister, whatever that means. But, please forget about me, and it will all turn out right. _

_Your good friend,_

_Charles Bingley_

Jane burst into tears, and Lizzie enveloped her sister in a hug. She was sobbing, and could barely control her tears. Lizzie felt so helpless, that she pulled her sister over to the bed, and simply rocked her back and forth, whispering words of consolation. How could he do this to her? Just that night, he had kissed her good bye as they were leaving, and now he was leaving her? It didn't make sense, and Lizzie could only take it in stupidly.

None of it made sense! That was the problem with guys. None of them made sense. When they danced with you, they felt so close, but could insult you to your face. When they proposed, they expected a yes. They promised to be somewhere, but left you at the very end. They could kiss you, not even days before leaving you.

It made Lizzie angry. It made her angry that guys could be so cruel. Jane was the kindest, most thoughtful person she knew. When she was getting over her wreck, Jane was with her as she had a spaz attack when she tried to drive. She helped her get used to her leg without a cast, and to gain the strength back from it. She was there when Lizzie was scared, she was there when she cried, she was there for her so many times, but when a guy came along, he could barely give her the time of day? It was ridiculous, and it made Lizzie angry.

She was so angry, she didn't want to admit that she was slightly put out that Darcy didn't say goodbye, or that she would miss him.

Darcy leaned back in his first class seat, and sighed. He sipped his martini with a lethargic attitude, but had to smile at the same time. With a small chat with Caroline, he was able to convince Charlie to go back to London with him, and the very next morning too. He found that by having Charlie leave Jane, he would save his friend from perpetual hell, and also giving him the space he needed from Elizabeth. He could feel her touch still on him from when they had danced, and it drove him insane. He just wanted to go home, see his sister, and forget about the girl name Elizabeth Bennett.

Her family is what made him decide to separate their party from the Bennetts. They were loud, obnoxious, disgusting, rude, improper, and poor. They didn't have a right to be brought into the higher societies such as the Bingley's and the Darcy's. It was unheard of, and would never happen.

It was hard though, for he found that as the plane took off, he thought of her. He could feel her cool breath on his skin as they danced; the accusations she made in his thoughts. He knew that she had also felt the spark between them, and was glad that it was no longer only him that was suffering an attraction.

Not that he cared or anything.

**Whew! That took a looong time to write! Finally put online, that took a few days, and now summer is upon us! YAY!!! More time to write, exams are over, and I can chillax by the computer! So, thanks for all the reviews, and I have high hopes for this one! R&R at least 17 reviews and I will post the new chapter! Please please PLEASE tell me your thoughts on wickham, was it too much? I dunno, that's why YOU have to tell ME!! and the dance, tell me wat u think!**

**-Tiddly Winks.**


	6. The Truth Revealed

**OK! So, summer has dawned bright and early, and if you haven't guessed, I am rather impatient. Just for myself, I have decided to post again, even though I threatened at least three or four times now that I wouldn't without a certain amount of push or drive (reviews). Just review if you will, and even one review is enough for me to keep going. That doesn't mean to stop all reviews, if you want, review away!! Post three or four if you want!!! Really, I can't complain of TOO MANY reviews. I can, however lame as this is, complain of too few. That's just me. I need to know people are reading. BUT! At the same time, I will be posting for my benefit and mine only. Hugs and kisses for all the reviews and reviewers!!!! I've decided that I've neglected Jane too much, so here she is!**

**WARNING!! WICKHAM IS IN THIS CHAPTER! PLEASE READ, SHE HAS TO FALL FOR HIM SOMEHOW!**

**Also, until further notice, I'm taking a big twist in the story, so a quote is not needed at present time. **

**---- ---- ---- **

_Jane was smiling up at her prince charming. Charlie took hold of her hand and he pulled her onto the couch._

_"You're beautiful without makeup, did you know that?" He whispered, taking her face in his hands, and simply looking at her. Jane blushed modestly, and shrugged off his compliment. _

_"I'm serious Jane! You're the most beautiful, angelic person I've ever met! Nothing could ever take me away from you." He said indignantly, eyebrows raised as Jane let out a laugh of joy and delight, but modesty as well._

_"And what is so funny?" He challenged with a smile. Jane kissed his forehead lightly, and whispered as she stared into his eyes, "I love to hear you say you'd never leave me."_

_"I will never leave you." He stated boldly, kissing her as she smiled. _

"Jane, time to get up." Lizzie called through the door, four weeks after the ball. During that time, Jane had only come out of her apartment room for junk food, more movies, and every now and then managed to get up for her job at the pizza parlor. She worked the front part of the place, answering the phone, and greeting customers. They moved her to inventory count because she no longer smiled, and merely mumbled into the phone.

Lizzie knew exactly why Jane was doing this. In the month or so that they had been together, Jane had confided more than once that she knew that she was madly in love with Charlie. Even now, with all of her mourning for him breaking up with her –Lizzie and Charlotte both agreed that it was cowardice to do so over e-mail- she would every now and then say that that had been the best time of her life. She had constantly been with Charlie. It was him that had helped nurse her back to health.

She had also moaned between bites of pie and ice-cream that that was the first kiss that she had where she had actually felt alive. Jane was beautiful, smart, intelligent, kind, helpful, but even all of this couldn't help when she fell off of cloud nine.

"Jane, I mean it! If you're not in the shower in five minutes, I will throw you in, clothes and all!" She cried to her sister, opening the door to peer into the gloom. The TV was on, a good sign, (that meant she was able to get up to change videos) but there was pizza boxes, ice cream tubs, popsicle stick in bowls, clothes scattered all over the place, and the radio was turned onto the worst song for Jane- Un-break My Heart, by Toni Braxton.

"Jane?" Lizzie asked cautiously, stepping into the room slowly.

_Don't leave me in all this pain  
Don't leave me out in the rain  
Come back and bring back my smile  
Come and take these tears away_

There was a sniffle from underneath the comforter, and Lizzie side-stepped a box of cinnamon toast crunch to get to her sister. Pulling the comforter back slowly, she saw Jane laying down, crying lightly. Though Lizzie hadn't seen most of the time they had spent together, she knew that a day hadn't gone by where Jane and Charlie hadn't been together.

_I need your arms to hold me now  
The nights are so unkind  
Bring back those nights when I held you beside me_

"Jane?" Lizzie whispered softly, stroking her hair. Jane blanched, and grumbled something under her breath. Lizzie had never felt so helpless to her sister ever.

"What?" Lizzie asked kindly, knowing that it was most likely another memory of Charlie. Whenever Lizzie would venture into her sister's room, Jane would always tell her another story of him. Just hearing them made her sick, but she knew it helped her sister to tell someone about it.

"Every night… when he went home… he wouldn't have to kiss me. Our relationship wasn't one of all kissing or anything like that. All he would do is hold me… Lizzie, that's all he needed to do. He would simply take me in his arms, and we would lean against his car… and we would talk about everything, and anything." She whispered.

_Un-break my heart   
Say you'll love me again  
Undo this hurt you caused  
when you walked out the door  
and walked out of my life  
Un-cry these tears  
I cried so many nights  
Un-break my heart  
my heart _

Lizzie nodded understandably, but at the same time, was perplexed. She knew that it was unhealthy to let her sister wallow in such misery, but didn't want to push her too fast. She knew that if Charlie had popped the question, Jane would have said yes almost before he had finished.

"_Jane, say you'll always love me." Charlie said as they lay on the grass on one of their many dates._

_"Charlie, I will always love you, no matter what. I would say it all the time if I could. It's all I need to say to be happy." Jane said as she held his hand. Charlie looked at her with surprise, but then a large smile broke out over his face. _

_"I would catch the stars for you." He stated matter-of-factly, turning to look at her eyes. They had always mystified him, for her eyes always sparkled in that kind, knowing way that made his heart soar._

_"That's so sweet." She whispered, touched. Her gaze left his face, and looked up at the vast amount of endless stars. She knew in her heart that they belonged together. _

_"No, that's not enough to prove my love. I would go to the Bermuda Triangle if it meant dying for you. But then I would cheat death itself to be with you." He said in her ear, his breath tickling her neck. Jane sighed at the content feeling in the pit of her stomach. _

_"You don't have to prove it Charlie, I will always believe you. I will always believe in you." Jane protested lightly as he muttered, "No, that's not enough." _

_"Jane, I would stop time right now, and cheat the very gods of their control on the earth and sun… if it meant this night would never end." Charlie whispered. Jane smiled as he placed soft kisses down her neck and he held her, content to simply be next to her. _

"He told me he would stop time." Jane cried suddenly, her eyes opened, red and puffy.

_Take back that sad word good-bye  
Bring back the joy to my life  
Don't leave me here with these tears  
Come and kiss this pain away_

"He said he would never leave me." She muttered, turning over, and taking a drink of Root Beer. Lizzie looked at her worriedly, knowing that she was about to snap at any moment.

_I can't forget the day you left  
Time is so unkind  
And life is so cruel without you here beside me_

"I can't delete the E-Mail. No matter how much I want to stop, I keep reading it. In the end, it doesn't matter what happens to it. I have it memorized anyway." She snapped suddenly, angry. Lizzie sat on the edge of the bed, waiting.

_Don't leave me in all this pain  
Don't leave me out in the rain  
Bring back the nights when I held you beside me _

"He lied to me! Ch-Charlie… he lied to me! He said he'd never hurt me!" She said shrilly. She leaned up from her laying position, her brow furrowing. Lizzie stood up, and took a step back.

"_Hey, Jane!" Charlie cried, opening the door to his newest car, a Porsche. _

_"Charlie! I'm cooking some dinner for when Lizzie gets back from school! I've just finished classes. Can you believe that I'm about to start interning for Dr. Bowman?" Jane said enthusiastically, kissing him on the cheek as she hugged him._

_"I'm so happy for you! You smell good." Charlie commented as he led her up the stairs, and back into the apartment. Wrapping his arms around her, he watched, content, as she flipped some pancakes over._

_"And to think, I'm interning for some famous therapist, and I'm cooking pancakes and bacon." Jane said drolly, leaning back into his embrace._

_"Food for a queen." Charlie defended the pancakes and bacon. They were his favorite food dish, with syrup of course. _

_Un-break my heart   
Come back and say you love me  
Un-break my heart  
Sweet darlin'_

"To think I listened to his lies!" Jane cried angrily, standing up, and hitting the button to turn the TV off. Words poured out of her mouth as she kicked her way past the clothes mounting around on the floor, and made it to the bathroom door.

_Without you I just can't go on  
Can't go on…_

"ERGH! I AM **SO** OVER HIM!" Jane yelled as she closed the bathroom door. There was some banging as she struggled to take off her pajamas, and then the swishing sound as she turned on the shower. Lizzie stood there, a strange smile on her lips. She was happy that her sister was finally moving on, but whenever Jane tried for distractions from something, something else always turned out wrong.

"LIZZIE! CALL AND TELL DRAKE THAT I WILL GO ON THE DATE WITH HIM TONIGHT AT 7:00 SHARP!" Jane called out as she then told Lizzie to turn the silly sad songs off.

With a sad smile, Lizzie called the cute pizza man Drake, and told him the good news.

"She's going to be slightly…" Lizzie tried to find the way to describe her sister. She could hear some work music (oldies) being put on as the shower turned off. There was then a loud shriek of, "HOW LONG WERE YOU GOING TO LET ME MOPE?!" And Jane rushed out of her bedroom, covered by a towel, her wide blue eyes panicked as she ran into the kitchen, and then pulled out several trash bags. Lizzie went silent as she watched her sister then scramble back to her room, and slam the door. The oldies were turned up, and her sister's lilting voice could be heard over the din of the music.

"IT'S JUST A GOOD MEMORY GONE BAD LIZZIE, EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT!!"

"… Drake, Jane's almost back to normal." Lizzie said satisfactorily. She knew that Jane would never forget Charlie, but would at least be able to rise above it. She would be able to grace the world with her beauty again. But first…

"LIZZIE! WHY DID YOU LET MY ROOM BECOME SUCH A MESS!?!?!" Jane yelled, and Lizzie laughed. It was the loudest she had ever heard her sister, and though it was out of character somewhat, it was better than Jane sobbing her eyes out over some guy who was thousands of miles away, and moving on.

The rest of the day was spent helping her sister catch up with her studies, and cleaning her room. Lizzie sorted the clothes, planning on going to the launder mat when her sister left for her date. Every now and then Jane would see something that would remind her of Charlie, but instead of crying, she would give a small smile, and tuck it away in a box that would go under her bed.

"Jane, do you really like Drake?" Lizzie asked as she dusted the wood work in the bedroom. Jane was finally finished getting the nasty food chunks, and trash out of her room, and she was beginning to get ready for her date. She put on slightly darker make-up that would hide the bags from lack of sleep under her eyes, but looked up at this question.

"Lizzie, I will always love Charlie. I will always think of him fondly, even though he hurt me. Are you really wondering why the very loud, and random change?" She asked kindly as she curled her already perfect lashes. Lizzie grinned and nodded, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"You looked so sad there Lizzie. It made me realize that I was worrying my friends and family because of my misery. It hurts… it hurts immensely to think that he did that. But, I have a life that needs to move foreword. I don't think I will like Drake as much, but it's a start." Jane said softly, a small smile ghosting her lips as she put light blush on her pale skin.

The door bell rang, and Lizzie jumped up, scared. Laughing at her stupidity, Lizzie ran to the foyer to answer the door. With a smile, she threw the door open, expecting to see Drake.

"LIZZIE! I've missed you so much I-" SLAM! Lizzie threw the door closed, and leaned against it, suddenly mad. Ever since the Netherfield ball, Lizzie had planned it out to forget about Jack Wickham. He hadn't called her, offered an explanation, or anything! Lizzie had been mad, but she had been too worried about her sister to really do anything. And now, here he was, at her door, and acting like an old friend. With a grumble, she started to walk away, when she heard the mail flap creak open slightly.

"Lizzie, please open the door? I've missed you so much, will you let me explain to the most beautiful girl in the world why I haven't been able to talk to her?"

"Lizzie, is it Drake?" Jane asked as she stepped into the foyer. Lizzie had to smile. If someone hadn't known about her little wallowing stage, they wouldn't know to look for the bags under her eyes, or the quivering chin. Instead, a very tall, elegant, and beautiful woman stood before Lizzie, and it took her breath away.

"Lizzie?" The voice through the mail slot asked, and Jane looked down, alarmed. Lizzie turned around, and kicked the mail flap. There was a thunk, and curse, and then silence.

"Lizzie, who is that?" Jane asked kindly, side-stepping her sister as she walked in her Valentino outfit to open the door. Jack Wickham was sitting on the concrete floor, and nursing three of his fingers on his right hand. He stopped muttering when he saw the open door, but winced when Jane slammed it closed

"What's he doing here?" Lizzie demanded, pacing slightly. She was angry, but underneath her anger, she was hurt. Darcy had been right; he stood her up, and was going to suck up sooner or later. It was then that Lizzie froze up. Why did she care about Darcy? He was nothing; a nobody. Lizzie would do anything just to get under his skin, so she viciously tore the door open, and stuck a hand out to Jack.

"How've you been?" She said enthusiastically, pulling him up as he grasped her hand. Jack looked at her, and hesitantly put a hand over his manhood. He was nervous that the only reason that she had helped him up was because she was going to injure him, but to his surprise, Lizzie tossed him a wink, and walked back into the apartment, inviting him inside as she walked. It was then that Drake walked up the stairs, and smiled as he saw Jane. With an apologetic smile to her sister, Jane walked out of the door.

It was an awkward silence as Lizzie tried to plan her next action. She thought that kicking him in the right spot would do the trick, but she saw that he had a hand over it.

"Put your hand down, would I ever do such a thing?" Lizzie asked sweetly as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. Jack gave her a look that said that he had every thought that she would, but reluctantly put his hand down. He looked around the room and saw that there were several trash bags in the hall, and a bunch of laundry.

"Lizzie I have more explaining to do." He said apologetically, stepping over to her. Lizzie turned around, and glared.

"I thought that I might call Charlotte. We were itching to go and try to get into that new club down the street, Club 66." Lizzie said, cutting off his chance of explanation. Jack smiled at her, and produced a handful of tickets gaining entry to the club.

"I have a friend who works there." He stated simply. Lizzie smirked, and picked up the phone. As she dialed Charlotte's cell phone number, she let Jack explore the front room, and the kitchen. As he pulled out a beer, he watched her avidly. She was annoyed with him, but didn't know how to get revenge. Jack watched her move to the sofa to sit, and smirked. If he could get her to the club, he would show her why she should forgive him. He hated leaving loose strings, and if he could bang her this night, the stings would be tied. It was an added bonus that if that happened and found out, Darcy wouldn't get anywhere near her.

"Hey, Charlotte! I was planning to go to Club 66 with Wickham tonight, want to pull a few friends along, and come?" Lizzie asked enthusiastically as she flipped on the TV.

"Um, hey, Lizzie… look… do you think it would be ok if I brought my… my fiancé along with us?" Charlottes asked hesitantly, waiting for the bombardment of questions. Lizzie, however, was dumbfounded. The first question out of her mouth was, "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I didn't want you to get mad, but… if you want to talk to him… here he is…" Charlotte tentatively handed her phone over to her new fiancé.

"Hello dearest Lizzie, how are you?" A nasally, disgusting, greasy voice wafted over the phone. Lizzie instantly froze up, and Jack watched in fascination as her pretty features turned from curious, to disgusted in half a second. She was a very pretty girl, and he couldn't wait to see what wonders she could do in bed. The very thought made this whole wild goose chase with her worthwhile. It also made in a bonus (he couldn't help but rethink the thought) that Darcy was in love with her. It would defiantly make things a whole lot better.

"Collins! You… you're not… oh I can't believe this." Lizzie moaned as she put her head in one of her hands, the other supporting the cell phone.

"I don't see why you're surprised; I've found myself to be madly in love with your best friend here." Collins said nastily, a hint of carefully concealed glee in his voice. Lizzie groaned silently at the thought of her best friend… marrying that nasty… weasel. It was like swallowing half and half, thinking it was skim milk. You never got the taste out of your mouth.

"Well, I think my dear fiancé and I will pull over to pick you up around 8:00. That's plenty of time for you to make yourself presentable." Collins went on, knowing the effect it was having on Lizzie. With a gleeful smirk, he added maliciously, "I told you that you'd regret saying no to me Lizzie dear. Now no one will want you." Of course, he said this out of Charlotte's space of hearing, knowing how she'd react if she heard him say that. In no way was Charlotte pretty in Collins' opinion, but because it was Lizzie's best friend, everything would turn out right. In his conceited opinion, Collins thought that Lizzie was now horribly jealous.

"Jack, make yourself comfortable. I'm going to go change, and fix my hair. Charlotte will pull over here in about 20 minutes." Lizzie said loudly to him, hoping Collins heard. Jack looked up from his beer, surprised. With a smirk, he realized what she was doing.

"Of course darling! Let me go and change this outfit, it's much too rumpled." He joked realistically, trying not to laugh. He took her using him to get that creepy man jealous as a form of forgiveness, and he sat down next to her, putting an arm around her.

"Lizzie… who is that?" Collins cut in sharply, his eyes smoldering, though Lizzie didn't know that part.

"It's her boyfriend, nice to meet you!" Jack said, taking the phone. He ushered Lizzie off, mouthing that he would take care of things. Rolling her eyes, Lizzie went to her room, and decided for stylish, but not dressy. In the end, Pucci won over more than anything. It was a mini dress, but not too short to be promiscuous. It flared out at the edges, letting her show off her long legs, or what she had of them. She pulled her hair into something manageable, but stylish. That was her mood for today. She felt happy for her sister, but felt slightly lacking in herself.

Lizzie wore minimal makeup, only eyeliner, and mascara. She flounced down the hall in wedges, and grabbed her jacket. Jack was flipping through the channels, looking bored, but his eyes were flashing with another emotion that she couldn't name.

"Were you serious when you said you were my boyfriend?" She asked as she realized why she felt so uncomfortable. Jack glanced up from the screen momentarily, and shrugged, trying to dispel the gleam in his eyes as his gaze raked over her body. She was an 9.6 tonight, but he didn't want to be tied down.

"Not if you don't want me to be." He said coyly, raising an eyebrow. He tossed her phone back to her, and patted the seat next to him for her to sit. Lizzie cautiously walked to him, and sat down, not letting her legs touch his. Jack noted this, and his smirk appeared back on his face, full force.

"Do you not want to touch me, Lizzie?" He crooned lightly, putting an arm around her. Lizzie didn't push it away, but knew that she needed to not go farther. Whenever he put his full fledged charm on her, she always forgot why she was mad at him. At this point, she was trying to think about an answer without being too much of a prude, or too much of a slut.

"I'm still wondering if I should forgive you." She said in a teasing tone. Jack nodded, and nosed her cheek slightly. Lizzie refrained from jumping away. All of her senses were now on high alert, and she felt him graze his lips over her jaw bone. His breath was light on her skin, and she shivered involuntarily. With a smile, he turned her head to face him with a finger.

"You're really pretty tonight." He whispered to her, and she felt like he meant it. It didn't matter that he had abandoned him at the Netherfield party, did it? Really, to be mad or put out about that sounded childish. She was an adult going to collage for Pete's sake! Jack traced her lips with his finger, and leaned in slowly for a kiss.

Usually, the man who is about to kiss the girl would pause right before kissing her, just to make sure that it was still ok. There's a fraction of a second where he waits for the girl to move in the rest of the way. It creates a sort of closure for them. This was not the case for Jack. He knew the moment that he had touched her that she doubted her anger towards him. That was the power Jack had over women. Well, most anyway. He didn't go to the place because he had a really hot date with a girl that didn't even know how to spell William Darcy. The girl's sister though, Sandy King, was a very angry and ugly wench, and had kicked him right to the curb when her sister, Mary King had showed him to her family.

That itself was interesting. She was the first that had introduced him to her family. That was a rather big no, no. You just didn't introduce Jack Wickham to family. He was the boyfriend that you hoped to never encounter when you were with family. That was alright though. Mary was so desperate to see him that she climbed out of her window, and they went to a silly movie where he had put an ace in the hole that very night in the supply closet. He hadn't spoken to her since. He noted with satisfaction as he kissed Lizzie lightly on the lips that if he could get her before her silly friends arrived, he wouldn't have to bother to use up his tickets on anyone but himself to score chicks.

Lizzie was on the high end of Cloud 9 as Jack thought all of this deviously. It was by far the best kiss that she had ever had, and she was positively numb with shock. Jack was kissing… her. The girl who hated Darcy, struggled to pass her college classes, worried about her sister, and thought guys were ass holes. Not this guy though. It was pure bliss, and her pulse skyrocketed, sending a flurry of emotions running through her mind, and making her the daredevil. Lizzie ran her fingers through his skater hair, loving the feel of him. He tasted so… good. She hadn't expected this.

She also didn't expect to find him on top of her, fumbling with the dress. That brought her back off of cloud nine, and into reality. As she sat up suddenly, the doorbell rang, and she walked over to answer it with a cautious glance to Jack. Jack raised his hands in mock surrender before cursing inwardly. He was so sure that he had been so close, but Miss Charlotte had to come and interrupt, dragging along Mr. Socially Inept for the ride too. This brought him to have to use his fully fledged charm to stop himself from gagging at the short, ugly, pasty, and glaring man. He was glaring right at Jack like Jack had done something wrong. _Spoiled his revenge for Lizzie is all._ Jack thought smugly, thinking of his failure with new light. Mine as well have some fun before getting the prize.

"Charlotte…" Lizzie said darkly as she showed them in. Charlotte stepped in hesitantly, her eyes roving over everything but her friend. Collins walked in, his glare transforming into a leer.

"Lizzie, I really think that I should drive tonight. I'm afraid I don't trust you to drive anymore." He said snidely, wrapping a pudgy arm around his fiancé. Lizzie wrinkled her nose, taking in the fact that Charlotte was taller than her soon to be husband. That was always a turnoff to Lizzie.

"Benny dear, I think that that was rather rude." Charlotte said softly, her gaze not meeting Lizzie's.

"I don't trust her Charlotte dear. Especially when you're in the car." He defended sharply, his eyes not meeting his fiancé's. Instead, they were looking right at her chest, and this made everyone except the men uncomfortable.

"Charlotte, this is Jack Wickham, Jack, this is Charlotte Lucas." Lizzie cut in, not wanting an argument. Jack flashed her, his most promising smile, and shook her hand before kissing her on the cheek. Charlotte blushed profusely, eyes wide. TO set things back on balance –Collins was glaring a hole right into Jack's forehead- Jack kissed Lizzie right on the lips.

"Should we get going then?" He suggested, pointing towards the doorway. Lizzie grabbed her purse, and then quickly wrote on the dry erase board, telling her sister where she was.

The ride was an awkward one. Jack sat in the back with Lizzie, an arm draped around her. Collins drove, and Charlotte glanced at Lizzie in the back, her eyes wide with worry. They ended up stopping two blocks away from the club, and walked the rest of the way. Charlotte pulled back to talk with Lizzie, and Jack took the lead. Collins was stuck somewhere in the very back; they had left him when he ran back to make sure his keys weren't in a locked car.

"Why are you marrying him?" Lizzie hissed angrily, jerking her head back as if her friend needed reminding as to who they were talking about. Jack busily pretended as if he couldn't hear anything.

"Lizzie, please don't ask. I… I've never been the one for romance, or one for good looks. All I've ever asked is a good home, and someone to like me. I couldn't get both from anyone else." Charlotte stuttered; she stared at the ground, suddenly interested in the cracks in the walk way.

"So you're using him?" Lizzie accused, eyes flashing.

"Name one person you know who likes me." Charlotte retorted, avoiding the accusation. Lizzie was silent a this, and Charlotte knew she had almost won. "You don't have to approve, all I ask is for your support."

Lizzie was silent at first. She hated Collins; he was rude, insulting, and horribly prideful. She loved Charlotte; Charlotte and Lizzie had been best friends since forever ago, when they had first moved in! She couldn't abandon her friend like that, not now. With a sigh, she pulled at her friend's hairdo, and shrugged.

"Is he rich?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Charlotte burst into laughter, and the tension between the two lightened.

Brooklyn, New York was very pretty at night. All of the lights in the shop windows were blinking out at her, on their last legs before the store owner turned them out at closing time. They walked awhile before they remembered that they had forgotten the little pest, and then had to stop to wait up for him. It was not long before they saw a bulky figure running –if the windmill arm motion and legs kicking out in front of someone could be balled running- up to meet them.

Getting into the club was not hard. In fact, all Jack had to do was lead them up to the front, and the bouncer, seeing Jack, let the whole group in immediately, and without passes.

Strobe lights, black lights, smoke, hazes of drunk people laughing, spilling their drinks, and dancing is what assaulted Lizzie as they stepped into the room. Music blared from very high quality sound speakers, and the bass reverberated along the floor. Lizzie smiled even though one of her company was Collins. Lizzie loved to dance.

Jack watched Lizzie's face as annoyance from Collins muttering about the noise turned to happiness as the DJ turned up a rather popular song. Lizzie recognized it as one that Lydia played all the time. Beautiful Liar, sung by Beyonce' and Shakira.

Ay, Ay, Ay  
Nobody likes being played  
Beyonce, Beyonce  
Shakira, Shakira (hey)

"Lizzie, dance with me!" Jack said as he pulled her jokingly to the dance floor. Lizzie laughed as she saw Charlotte pulled to the dance floor by an over excited Collins. The rhythm suddenly took over and Lizzie swayed her hips, an eager Jack behind her, appreciating the view.

Beyonce He said I'm worth it, his one desire  
Shakira I know things about 'em that you wouldn't wanna read about  
Beyonce He kissed me, his one and only, (yes) beautiful Liar

"I love this song!" Collins cried out to Charlotte as he swung his arms wildly about, his toady eyes bugging out at her. Charlotte tried to discreetly scoot over to where it seemed like she was only dancing **next** to the crazy man, and not **with** the crazy man. It was something slightly hard to do, and that would be because he kept scooting onto anyone around him, and trying to grind against them, even if they were male.

Shakira Tell me how you tolerate the things that you just found out about

Shakira You never know  
Beyonce Why are we the ones who suffer   
Shakira I have to let go  
Beyonce He won't be the one to cry

"You're a good dancer." Jack whispered into her ear as she swung down next to him. Lizzie's skin tingled at his compliment, and turned to him, putting her arms around his neck.

"You're not too bad yourself." She replied as he pulled her closer.

"Not too bad you say? I take that as an insult." He scoffed lightly, tracing her cheek with a finger.

Beyonce (Ay) Let's not kill the karma  
(Ay) Let's not start a fight  
(Ay) It's not worth the drama  
For a beautiful liar  
Shakira (Oh) Did he laugh about it  
(Oh) It's not worth our time  
(Oh) We can live without 'em  
Just a beautiful liar

"Go out with me Lizzie." Jack asked with mock nervousness, and hope. He knew what she would say, who could resist him? Lizzie was silent as she turned slightly, and kept dancing.

Shakira I trusted him, but when I followed you, I saw you together  
Beyonce I didn't know about you then 'till I saw you with him again  
Shakira I walked in on your love scene, slow dancing  
Beyonce You stole everything, how can you say I did you wrong

"Jack, I think tha-"

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Someone shrieked angrily, grabbing Lizzie, and wrenching her back. Lizzie turned around to face a very pretty, but angry blonde.

"Who are you?" Lizzie asked with surprise, trying to keep from getting annoyed.

Shakira You never know  
Beyonce When the pain and heartbreak's over  
Shakira I have to let go  
Beyonce The innocence is gone

"Jack, who is this… this… bloody girl?" The blonde demanded, her nails digging into Lizzie's shoulder.

"Who are you?" Lizzie asked, feeling foolish arguing on the dance floor.

"I'm his girlfriend." The blonde hissed angrily.

"He just asked me out!" Lizzie cried out suddenly.

Beyonce (Ay) Let's not kill the karma  
(Ay) Let's not start a fight  
(Ay) It's not worth the drama  
For a beautiful liar  
Shakira (Oh) Did he laugh about it  
(Oh) It's not worth our time  
(Oh) We can live without 'em  
Just a beautiful liar

"He what?" the girl demanded rhetorically. Both girls turned to look at a rather nervous Jack.

Shakira Tell me how to forgive you  
When it's me who's ashamed  
Beyonce And I wish could free you  
Of the hurt and the pain  
(Both) But the answer is simple  
He's the one to blame

"Ladies…" Jack stuttered, and cursed under his breath. This just had to be the night. No wonder the bouncer seemed happy to let him in! Jack cursed again, and promised to kick the bouncer's ass as soon as possible.

Beyonce (Ay) Let's not kill the karma  
(Ay) Let's not start a fight  
(Ay) It's not worth the drama  
For a beautiful liar  
Shakira (Oh) Did he laugh about it  
(Oh) It's not worth our time  
(Oh) We can live without 'em  
Just a beautiful liar

It was then that there was beautiful Karma. Both girl's took one look at him, raised their hands, and slapped him. SMACK! In unison, they then turned around and walked off of the dance floor.

"UGH! Can you believe him?" Lizzie groaned as she reached the bar, and asked for a Gin and Tonic. The other girl was angry, and pissed. She was slightly shaking, and ordered a martini. With a wince, she downed the whole thing in two gulps, and ordered another one. Lizzie took a small sip of hers, and winced at the burning, acrid taste it left, Still, she had to admit, in a few moments, she was feeling a slight warm sensation in her stomach.

"Oh, me brother was right. Oh bugger, he's never going to let me live this down." The girl moaned, burying her head in her hands. Lizzie patted her back sympathetically, her eyes downcast.

"And you know, he told me that I should stay home tonight, get some rest; he said I was positively awful looking." The girl grumbled that slightly, her brow furrowed. When she got her other martini, she was about to down that one too, when Lizzie put a stop to it.

"Don't get drunk on his account." Lizzie told her sharply, but settled down in more comforting tones, "And I'm sure your brother would be more sympathetic than that."

"Believe me, Blaise Fitzwilliam will not be sympathetic. But he never told me why I shouldn't go out with him; all he said was something Will Darcy said about his sister, but bother… er… that was all…" She trialed off, trying to remember exactly what her brother had told her about Darcy's sister.

"Darcy… as in Darcy who runs the world-wide law firm with Charles Bingley?" Lizzie cried out in surprise. She just couldn't get away from him, could she?!

"Yes… he's me cousin." The girl said cautiously. She gave Lizzie an incredulous look, and took back her martini. That sentence was very disconcerting, and Lizzie visibly paled.

"Er… you alright? You look right peaky there; blimey, I've never seen someone change a shade so fast!" The girl exclaimed.

"Is he here?" Lizzie hissed franticly, her eyes slits as she looked around in a panicked state. The girl laughed, and shook her head.

"He's in New York, New York right now. Why does it matter though?" The girl asked mischievously. Lizzie tossed her a glare, and shrugged, downing the rest of her Gin and Tonic.

"What's your name by the way?" Lizzie asked as she tried to change the subject. The girl grinned, and flounced her hair.

"Me name's Emma Lee Fitzwilliam. I'm twenty years old, and-"

"Too young to be drinking." Barked the bartender, taking the martini away; his rigid stare shocking both Lizzie and Emma. It was then that Emma laughed, and took the drink back. Lizzie stared, dumbfounded slightly, until they both settled their gazes on her.

"This kidder is me bugger of a brother, Blaise." Emma explained to her curious new friend. The bartender smiled, and Lizzie stared, dumbfounded, once again. He wasn't a Will Darcy, but he was certainly hot. His slightly curly, but slightly wavy hair was a mess on his head, a golden blonde mess. He was tall (not as tall as Will) and had very pretty bright blue eyes (not dark like Will's). Lizzie didn't bother to wonder why she was comparing him to Will. It wasn't like she missed him or anything.

"So you fell for Jack Wickham did you?" Blaise asked kindly, handing her a Screwdriver (vodka and orange juice), and patting his sister's head sympathetically. Lizzie rolled her eyes, and glanced back to where she had last seen him. She was glad not to see a trace of him.

"Yea, I guess so. It wasn't anything serious, thank god." Lizzie exclaimed, realizing that they were waiting for an answer. Blaise cracked a grin, and nodded.

"If I had known he had a girlfriend, I wouldn't have even come with him tonight." She mused angrily, and took a swig of her drink. Both parties glanced at each other for a moment.

"Sorry about that mate, I didn't mean to blow you off for that bloody chit." Emma said to her brother, still embarrassed, but also peeved.

"No problem. Just listen to me next time. I don't say this stuff for me health." Blaise said good-naturedly, and laughed.

"So you know Will Darcy?" Emma asked, not letting the subject drop. Lizzie rolled her eyes, but laughed.

"Yea, I guess you could say I knew him. He was arrogant, conceited, rude, and you couldn't hold a conversation with him to save your life. Does that constitute as knowing him?" She asked; fumbling for her phone as it rang. Picking it up, she answered with a rather loud, "HELLO?" Blaise looked at Emma, and Emma exchanged a glance with her brother.

"Lizzie, where are you?" Charlotte asked, "We've looked all over, and now we've simply gone outside to wait. Collins has hurt his foot… dancing." Lizzie fought back the impulse to burst out laughing. Collins hurt his foot dancing was very probable.

"Give me five minutes and I'll be right outside. Charlotte, I have big news." Lizzie said loudly, and hung up. Turning back to them, she gulped down the rest of the screwdriver, and glanced apologetically.

"Sorry, I gotta run. My friends are waiting. How much do I owe you?" She asked, ruffling through her purse as she looked for her wallet.

"It's on the house, just as long as I can snag your name and number." Blaise said with a devilish grin. Lizzie laughed out right, and taking a pen, scrawled her number on a napkin.

"My name's Elizabeth Bennett. Lizzie for short. That's the cell phone number, HOLD ON!" Lizzie cried the last part into her cell phone as it kept ringing. With a groan, she shoved her stuff in her purse, gave a hug and a, "Take care of yourself." To Emma, and a grin to the hot guy before bounding through the dance group to get to the door.

Brother and sister glanced at each other with knowing smiles.

"You think that's the same girl?" Emma asked wickedly, her smile slightly terrible for such a nice looking girl. Fitz looked at her before nodding vigorously.

"Positive. He had her described down to the small dimple. Only one, mind you." He said with a laugh. Taking the napkin, he put it into his pocket, and added, "I think I'm going to find out more about this Miss Bennett."

"You're not going to come onto her, are you? Oh bloody hell, don't create a spectacle." Emma cursed, smacking her brother's arm.

"No, but while we're here, we mine as well have a little fun. I also need to see if there is an attachment on her side. If there isn't, there's no bloody reason why he should run in circles for an American." He said, flashing another grin at a couple girls as they walked past.

"Fitz!" Emma exclaimed, smacking his arm again.

"I was joking about it mattering that she was American! Besides, they all look pretty good. It must be what they feed them here." He said as he looked down to scan the food options.

"I can see why he likes her." Emma said dreamily as she scanned the crowd. She saw as the curly haired girl managed to make it across the floor, and get to the door in one piece. She looked positively flustered, and it made Emma laugh.

"It's good for him to like someone. He deserves it after so many have liked him." Blaise dismissed the statement with a wave of his hand. Emma nodded, but still had Lizzie under scrutiny until she walked out of the door, leaving the estate entirely.

**Ok, nice and long, R&R and I think this is the last of Wickham for awhile! YAY!**


	7. Confessions of a Proud Man

**WOOT WOOT! Finally got past that slippery character! YESS!!! HAPPY DANCE! Also, I just love that song. Those two girls can move parts of themselves that I didn't even know existed! Kudos for them, but alas, I am the mere writer. Again, I love you all for reviews, I eat them with ketchup! Anywho…moving on, and putting more twists to the story. I'll try to make this long too, just for you! Remember to R&R and I will love you forever!!!! **

**----- -----**

Lizzie was crashed on the couch with her best friend in the entire world, eating cookies. It was close to 3:00 in the morning, but neither of them felt like going to sleep. Lizzie knew that she had classes at 10:45 and all the way to 8:45, but for some reason, she didn't feel like sleep. Maybe it was because Charlotte was doing such a good job with cheering her up. Maybe it was the fact that if she slept, she might dream of Jack kissing her, and then laughing in her face, or maybe it was because she was just too damn hyped up on cookies, ice-cream, and crème soda.

"But seriously, Lizzie, you can't say you've always trusted him!" Charlotte exclaimed as she changed the channel from Tom and Jerry, to Invader ZIM.

"I know; I've always doubted him about almost everything he's said. But then again, I doubt what most people say. The world has proven to be very mistrusting." Lizzie mused as she stuck a spoon into her chocolate cookie dough ice-cream.

"Almost everything he's said? What do you not doubt him about?" Charlotte asked as she changed the channel to the ever famous, Pride and Prejudice.

"Oh for heaven's sake, change the channel!" Lizzie exclaimed, not liking the resemblance she held to the character in the story. Wickham seemed slightly too familiar to her now.

"Answer the question!" Charlotte demanded. Lizzie rolled her eyes, and rolled onto her stomach, getting a better sleeping position.

"What he said about Darcy. There was too much fact. I've asked him discreetly about stuff, and he's admitted unknowingly that it all could be true!" Lizzie exclaimed as she twisted around trying to find a sleep-able, but at least comfortable position.

"So you still believe that, after he asked you out, and then didn't say a word to defend himself when his real girlfriend shows up." Charlotte clarified. Lizzie rolled her eyes, and didn't respond. It was stupid enough that she had fallen for him. It hurt worse that somewhere deep inside; she was crying for the infamous charmer.

But why did she have unshed tears for him? It's not like he's kept his word with anything, so why should she have an ounce of feeling left for him. _You care because he's the first man who's ever looked like he was actually in love with you, _a snide voice whispered in her thoughts. Charlotte had warned her of hearing these thoughts, and to drive it away, she dove her spoon with vigor into her ice-cream. After tonight, there would be no more mourning for the in-famous Jack Wickham.

----- -----

Jack took the man by his head, and threw him against the wall.

"I told you to tell me when there was girl trouble hanging around with my name on it." He hissed in the bouncer's ear. With a groan, the bouncer fell back, and landed on the floor in a heap. Jack leaned down, and pulled the man up by his collar. "Next time it happens again, that will only be a warm-up."

With a smirk, and an extra kick, Jack walked away from his prey, and ballooned his chest out in mock arrogance. His cheeks were still slightly stinging from when he had been smacked, but other than that, it had turned out only to be slightly sour.

After getting hit by two very hard to get girls, he had left to go and have a chat with the bouncer. It helped a lot to take his frustrations out on that fat man. Jack had something against fat men. They made the skinny ones look anorexic if they stood next to them for too long. Also, when he was little (three to be exact) his mother always called him her fat baby. That had sealed it.

Though he had lost his quarry –he tried to forget that he had lost two quarries, it hurt to know that his fortune had basically reeked- he knew that there was a way to recovery. As he pulled out a printed out picture of a family, he pointed to the next suitable one down the line.

"Lydia Bennett," He mused as he jabbed her face. He knew she was stupid, but very pretty. If he could get his hands on her, than he would show that stupid Lizzie her mistake for laying her hand on him. "You're Jack's next victim."

----- -----

Lizzie finally managed to fall asleep around 5:27. The rest of the time had been spent in a mock wallowing of pity before the sugar wore off, and the sugar's horrible hangover kicked in. When ever being hyper wore off, Lizzie always got tired and cranky.

As Jane bustled into the room, her eyes bright and cheery, she saw her sister and her friend crashed halfway on the floor and halfway on the couch. With a small smile, she pulled the blankets back over them, and proceeded to make some coffee. She was supposed to go to Manhattan for her internship, and at least wanted Lizzie to be up when she left so that no one broke into the apartment and surprised them when they were asleep. Jane had always had a fear of that.

"Wake up sleepy heads!" Jane cried as she waltzed back into the room with steaming mugs of coffee. Lizzie groaned, and sat up; eyes squinting. Charlotte jumped slightly, and scrambled onto the couch; eyes wide. Neither of them were really coherent when they first woke up.

"If you guys can come into the kitchen, I have some cleaning instructions." Jane said in that motherly way that Lizzie loved, but hated. With a groan, she got up, and followed her sister into the kitchen, moving only because of the coffee being held so temptingly in front of her.

"Charlotte… coffee." Lizzie grunted, and sunk into her chair as she got her prize. Jane smothered a grin as Lizzie then stood up. Charlotte called out something like, "I'm not moving for no cocoa or any other fattening thing you got for me."

"Charmander, don't make me." Lizzie threatened, using her friends lost since used nickname. They used to laugh at how that silly orange poke'mon's name sounded so much like Charlotte's.

"Get off your chair and make me get up, lard butt." Charlotte said idly, turning over and burying under the covers.

"Oh, I'll make you." Lizzie grumbled as she stumbled into the living room, and pulled open the blinds. White bright light exploded into the room, and Charlotte shrieked as her eyes were assaulted by it. Jane busted into laughter as Lizzie cackled with mirth. When their laughter subsided, Lizzie lagged back into the kitchen, downed her coffee, and announced grandly, "I'm going to go take a run."

"Ok then, I'll write the chores down, and walk out with you." Jane said brightly, gathering her bag of necessities. Charlotte was rubbing her eyes in the front room, and Lizzie ran to change. With a grumble, Charlotte ran into the kitchen, and gulped her coffe down in one large swallow, ignoring the burning of her tongue.

"How's she?" Jane asked softly as she heard Lizzie stumble about her bedroom, waiting for her coffee to kick in.

"Better than expected. We went back here, and she cried a little bit, but after that, she was fine." Charlotte explained smoothly; pouring herself another cup.

"Just keep an eye on her. She bottles things up." Jane said softly, and when she saw her sister come out clad in Juicy (she really loved those sweat suits for running) she kissed Charlotte's head, and walked out of the apartment with her sister. Neither bothered to invite Charlotte with them. It was an unwritten ritual that one always stayed back and guarded the house in the mornings on Fridays and Saturdays. That was usually when guests came by, and none of the girls wanted to miss entertainment when it came by.

----- -----

Lizzie said her good byes to her sister, and took off at a ground eating pace to the park nearby. It was very pretty out; the birds in the trees, and kids running around in their jackets. Jack Frost was at the edges of the grass, and was fading as the sun climbed steadily in the sky. The sky itself was gorgeous, the baby blue tints fading slightly when there was a small cloud nearby.

"Such a lovely day." Lizzie sighed as she jogged onto the running path. Lizzie loved to walk, or to run. Either or, they always managed to help her clear her thoughts. Now that she had had her wallow session with her friend, any pain she had felt for Jack was gone. Thank goodness for that, or she might have turned out like Jane.

"No…" She mused lightly as she took the slight curve, "Jane was in love. I was all for his body."

Lizzie took a shorter route; it had a much prettier scenery. She especially liked all of the kids running around while their mothers scurried after them, keeping them out of other people's ways. Some mothers were accompanied by fathers, but most seemed to only be females. The males were no where to be seen.

"Because they have all the hard work to do… like break girl's hearts, and leave them to go to some other country to stew about it…" She muttered. If she ever saw Charlie again, she would probably give him a word or two. How could someone so nice looking do something so… cruel?

"Because guys are pigs." That was very true it seemed, and she was so lost in thought about this small finding when she collided into something solid, and hot.

"Oomph," Lizzie's breath let out in a whoosh, and she fell backwards, about to land flat on her butt. Instead, she was caught around the waist by a very cute, all American looking guy. Of course, he was British, but he looked born and bred in the good old USA.

"Hold on there, I've had girls fall at my feet, but this is a whole different story." He joked as he pulled her back onto her own legs. He gazed at her critically, taking in the slight sweat plastered hair, flushed face, and sparkling eyes. Her clothes complimented her figure lightly, and the whole running thing was a huge turn-on. Oh, his cousin was going to hate him for this.

"Blaise! I didn't realize it was you!" Lizzie exclaimed as she took a step back from his unintentional embrace. With a boyish grin, he stuffed his hands into his pockets, and chuckled.

"I didn't realize you had it that bad for me." He commented. With a bright idea, he stuck his arm out for her to take, and walked with her so that she could still get her workout without being stopped by him.

"Oh, it's a terrible crush I've been denying for quite some time." Lizzie joked as she got a good look at him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about him that brought a more teasing person about her, and relaxed her, considering the whole drama from the night before.

Blaise looked long and hard at the Bennett girl. She was gorgeous; his cousin hadn't lied about that at least. But there was a certain sparkle about her that Will was infatuated with. Another thing that kept him looking at her was the whole drama from the night before. Darcy had also told him how she seemed keen on hanging out with Wickham, and when he had seen them dancing, it worried him that she was in too deep. Now, she seemed light, bouncy, and energetic. His sister had been slightly put out, and had gotten herself slightly tipsy before he ended his shift, and took her home.

"So, how have you been? Though, I'm acting like we've not seen each other for months." He said, trying to take out the blunt feeling from his first statement. Lizzie laughed right out at him, her voice sparkling and sweet toned.

"I'm good, really good. I'm actually rather fond of running, or walking so this turned out well." She said as she took him on a longer route than the one she wanted to take. Still, she had to admit, he was really good looking. He seemed very friendly, and very open. Lizzie wished the same could be said about his in-famous friend, Darcy. After her statement, he seemed to scrutinize her for a moment, gauging how far it was from the truth. He was pleased to see that there was only a slight dull look in her eyes as her thoughts drifted slightly.

"So… were you and him… an item?" he asked bluntly, his voice taking on a slightly resigned voice. Lizzie laughed, but her chuckle was lacking; he noted this with slight worry.

"I was lucky your sister stepped in when she did. We almost were." She replied, remembering how happy she had felt, and how all of the accusations she had had against him disappear as he wove his words around her. Jack was a snake, but even then, she couldn't help but believe the things he said about Darcy. He had names, he had facts. No one would make that stupid stuff up for their health, would they?

"Do you… regret anything about it?" he asked. When he had called his cousin the night before to tell him what had happened, Will had been in an uproar. He demanded to know exactly how she was, what her thoughts were, how she was handling it, everything. Not that his cousin had cared or anything. Fitz remembered how he had tricked his cousin into telling him why his thoughts would wander so much. It was comical to see Darcy like someone else.

"_Will, what are you on about? Don't tell me that you've taken to a tall, dark and single girl in the states, have you?" Fitz asked his cousin as they played a small game of pool in the entertainment hall. Will was silent for a few moments before answering. Fitz noted this with a smirk. _

"_No, why do you ask?" Darcy asked as he struck the Q-ball with a little more enthusiasm than necessary. _

"_Your mind's been wandering around again cuz. I've taken a notice to it because it's happened at least twice in a conversation." Fitz replied casually, noting Will's sudden trouble zipping up his jacket. Will glanced up sharply, his gaze brooding. _

"_There's no reason to assume it's a female." He responded sharply._

"_Oh c'mon Will! You're always looking in the distance! At least spill about it. Your eve in the garden is she?" Fitz teased lightly as he chalked his pool stick._

"_Her name's not Eve." He snapped too fast for Blaise to take as nothing. His boyish smile reached from ear to ear as he caught his cousin._

"_What's her name then?" He challenged. Will glanced up sharply, his gaze smoldering. With a slight curse, he shook his head, trying to sort his thoughts. _

"_There is no name because there is no girl." _

"_On don't start with that cuz! I can see it in your eyes, there's someone that's caught your fancy. Unless it's not a girl… good god man; don't tell me you're gay!" Fitz exclaimed in horror, jumping away from his cousin was speed. _

"_Bloody hell, there's no guy, __**her**__ name's Elizabeth Bennett!" Will snapped, and then turned around slightly as he realized what he said. His cousin was the only person who could ever get under his skin enough to make him slip out unwanted statements. Not counting Elizabeth of course. _

"_So now we get somewhere." Fitz said deviously, his dimples showing his evil thought process. Darcy groaned as his cousin pulled him over to the small bar to talk more. _

"_Spill." Fitz said jokingly, and poured his friend some good old whiskey. Darcy glared into the amber contents, and with more prodding, and several times being caught in his web, Fitz managed to get the story out of his cousin. Fitz loved it when that happened. It made him feel happy all over. _

It was slightly touching, but he didn't want Fitz to get the wrong idea about his attraction. He wanted details about how she was handling it, but didn't want his cousin to have a verbal assault from her. Thankfully, Lizzie was good-natured about it, and thought that Fitz was asking for his sister's benefit only.

"Believing his lies, yeah. Who wouldn't feel bad about that? Sort of makes you feel stupid though." She said; a hollow laugh not fitting the look on her face. Blaise thought it best to change the subject. He didn't want her dwelling too much on it. His sister was passed out on the couch, and would have a minor headache when she woke up. Darcy had warned about what had happened, hell, Blaise had known exactly what would have happened, and now, instead of feeling proud like he usually would have, Blaise had noticed that his cousin had sounded genuinely worried. There was something about this Bennett girl that had that man completely, and irrevocably smitten, and Blaise wanted to see what it was about her, besides the beauty, and good looks.

Of course, Blaise hadn't had to coerce that out of his cousin. Will's voice had dropped slightly when he would say something about her –with uber prodding from a very annoying cousin- and a light smile ghosted his face when he would describe something she had said.

_"I don't want to 'spill' as you can it. I'd rather forget about her really." Darcy replied with slight vehemence. _

_"Oh, now we're getting somewhere! Tell me, was she a temptress, was she a devil with a pretty face, was she a-"_

_"Good god, will you stop!" Will exclaimed angrily, downing the contents. _

_"Spill and I will stop." Fitz replied with a devilish grin. Will glared at him; his eyes a piercing stare._

_"It wouldn't matter much anyway. I'm here, and she's there with… Wickham." Will said the last word with grinding teeth. Blaise looked up at his cousin with alarm. The last time they had mentioned that bastard was when Will had been trying to convince Emma to stay clear of him; without mentioning the details. Of course, without the details, Emma decided that they were all just trying to spoil her fun. _

_"She's hanging with him?" Fitz choked on his drink. Will gave a hint of a nod, and turned back to the pool table. _

"People have fallen for his tricks before. Lately, he's been fooling the really pretty ones, and I think that needs to stop." Fitz said lightly, his bright blue eyes kind. Lizzie glanced at him, and laughed.

"Is that a pick-up line? I thought you could come up with something better than that." Lizzie smirked at him, and broke the contact between them. Fitz grinned mischievously at her, and pulled out a napkin from his pocket.

"I guess I have to call later and try again, won't I?" he replied, and with a light peck on the cheek, he walked away, whistling lightly a bright and jovial tune. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, and turned around; deciding to go back to her apartment.

----- -----

"What did she say?" Darcy asked as Fitz gave him a ring. For the past month or so, Will had tried to get her out of his mind, and he had tried to throw himself into his work, but now that Fitz had unintentionally found her, it was hard not to ask.

Will still couldn't believe that his cousin had wheedled some of the story out of him, but now that he had, Darcy had to admit, it was good to hear from him. Hear from him about her really.

"She just feels really stupid mate. Like she had had council against it, but decided to screw herself over anyway." Blaise replied with laugh as he heard his cousin grumble under his breath.

"I told her to stay away." He declared in a louder voice, and with a quick good-bye, he hung up, annoyance flashing across his features. Now that he knew the details, he cursed inwardly. He had warned her away from Wickham, but she had gone to him anyway. Now, she was paying the price. He had to admit, she had brought it upon herself with her going to the club with him. If she had listened to him, she wouldn't have had to deal with Jack's lies. _But when has she ever listened to you?_ The snide voice in his head asked. Will shook his head to get rid of such stupid thoughts, and went back to his desk.

New York City was such a disorganized place; Will wanted at least one thing there to be organized, even if it was just his small law firm there. He would try to push her out of his thoughts, and settle more cases by himself instead of assigning them to someone else. He couldn't believe that one person had such a hold on his emotions, and not even realize it.

Not that he cared or anything.

----- -----

"Oh Lizzie, someone from the College called!" Charlotte exclaimed as Lizzie jogged back into the room, panting lightly. To get rid of her thoughts, she had upped the pace of her run, and now she was suffering for it.

"pant Charlotte- who… who- called- I pant couldn't- quite- catch the- name." Lizzie wheezed slightly as she went into the Kitchen for a large glass of ice water.

"The college! They have excellent news apparently." Charlotte laughed as Lizzie feigned collapsing on the floor. Handing her friend the phone, she also handed her some paper that held the number on it. Lizzie dialed it half-heartedly, and waited as the line was dispatched.

"Yes, Lizzie Bennett, this is the dean of the college, and I have excellent new for you. You have been hand selected to go for an internship in New York City for the surgeon, Dr. Rick Bradley. Details have been e-mailed to you, and you will be expected there this coming Friday, December 16th."

Lizzie cried out as she heard the news. Of course, with her passed out on the floor, it made it look like she was having a seizure, but she didn't care too much. She was going to intern for a rich, skilled surgeon!

"CHARLOTTE!" Lizzie yelled at the top of her lungs after hanging up. With a groan she pulled herself up from her laying position, and scrambled into the front room where Charlotte was sprawled across the floor, flipping through channels. At Lizzie's exclamation, she glanced up, and startled slightly at the look on her friend's face.

"So you're going to leave me in the hands of my fiancé for how long?" Charlotte asked after Lizzie explained the whole thing.

"Until Easter. I get back two weeks before Easter." Lizzie replied, much to the horror of her friend.

"Oh… oh but Lizzie, I get married New Year's day! Do you think you'll be able to skip and come to Puerto Rico for the wedding?" Charlotte exclaimed, her eyes wide. She hadn't planned on her best friend not being there.

"I don't think so Charlotte. This really makes me feel bad though." Lizzie said with only a little bit of regret. She knew that her friend wanted her there, but Lizzie wasn't sure if she would have been able to see her friend taken away by that freak of a man. Now, she just had to hear about it.

----- -----

"Not thinking of leaving without letting me know?" Fitz asked as he came up behind Lizzie in the supermarket. Lizzie jumped slightly, but when she saw who it was, she laughed.

"That was the plan." She mused as she checked the list that Jane had told her to write down. Her sister had been gone only a few days when she called and asked if anyone had been hurt. Lizzie took this as slightly offensive; she was perfectly able to take care of herself.

"I can't stand for that. When do you leave?" Fitz asked as he walked with her through the store.

"Tomorrow around 6:00. Wait, how did you know that I was leaving?" She asked as she dropped a box of cereal in the cart.

"I pulled some strings for the gorgeous girl, and heard where they were whisking her away to." He replied. Lizzie laughed at this, and Blaise was happy to see that there was the sparkle that his cousin had told him about. She was doing much better, he was happy to note, and she had a tell tale smile ghosting her lips as she talked.

"What are your plans for afterwards? You can't work all day!" he exclaimed. As she prattled off her plans and where she would stay, he noticed the small dimple Will had told him about. _She's much better without him_, Blaise thought with satisfaction.

"… and I'm staying with my aunt and uncle. They have a really nice penthouse that they said they could let me crash in." She finished as they walked towards the counter to pay.

"How did you know Will Darcy?" Blaise asked suddenly, deciding to bring it in the fray.

"A friend of Charlie Bingley. Charlie lived near my friend Charlotte Lucas at Netherfield." Lizzie said this all cautiously, not wanting to draw Jane into the conversation. She hated discussing both Will, and Charlie, so she hoped he got bored with that subject soon.

"What did you think of them?" Fitz prodded her closer to the conveyer belt as he grabbed a pack of gum. Blaise loved gum.

"What's with the third degree? Charlie… he was nice, and Will… Will was rude, obnoxious, and very standoffish. He managed ways to offend people without having to open his mouth." Lizzie vented lightly, momentarily forgetting that Will was Blaise's cousin.

"Depends on how you look at it, don't you think?" Fitz said as Lizzie paid the cashier.

"Look at what? When you're invited to parties, at least try to look like you're having fun." Lizzie exclaimed as she put the bags into her cart. She waited patiently as he but his meager pack of gum on the belt, and pulled out a measly dollar.

"What if you were forced to go?"

"Fitz, why are you standing up for him when there's no need?!" Lizzie exclaimed as they walked out of the store; Lizzie wheeling her cart towards her car.

"I'm just curious as to your attachment to him." Blaise murmured delicately as he helped her put her groceries in the small car that she had rented. It was ugly, but it got her places. Lizzie froze when he said this, and whirled around to face him.

"My attachment?" She asked as he smirked and nodded. "There's no attachment." She decided to say bravely, and made a face as she thought about it. "There never could be."

"On either side?" He asked as she turned to go. Lizzie stopped, turned to him, and said with slight annoyance, "He hates me Fitz, and I'm not that partial to him. Ok? Why do you keep asking about him?! It's not like he's just going to pop up out of nowhere and say 'hey, I like you, I was just kidding when I called you below average,' you know? I really don't see him doing that. Do you?" Hearing no answer, she wheeled her cart into the cart bin, turned back, walked to him and added as an after thought, "It was good seeing you." Giving him a hug, she then turned, walked to her car and drove off in moments.

"Oh, but I do see him doing that." Fitz murmured as he saw the brake lights light up when she stopped for the turn. Blaise smirked at her reaction to his words. She was either A) in love with him, and in denial, or B) annoyed that he had brought Will up because she really, really hated him. With a kick in his step, Fitz turned and walked away whistling. The day had turned out pretty good.

----- -----

"Promise you'll call me." Charlotte said tearfully as she saw her friend off the next morning. Lizzie was still curious about why Blaise had brought up all of that stuff, but didn't have his number so she couldn't ask. Still, she felt bad for abandoning him like that in the middle of the supermarket parking lot. Now, as she stuffed the rest of her junk into her rental car, she turned to Charlotte and laughed.

"I'll be back the first week of April, it's not that long." She protested, but she knew it was long for them. Nearly five months of not seeing each other was a very long time. Still, she had to admit, it would be good to get out of the little shell of Brooklyn.

"How long will it take for you to get there?" Charlotte asked as she gave a bag of beef jerky to Lizzie through the car window.

"About an hour. I'll call as soon as I get there, mother." Lizzie teased, and tossed her friend the house keys. "Lock up for me, and I promise I will call!"

Charlotte smiled as her friend drove away. She hated goodbyes but they were better than the hello that her fiancé wanted to give her when she got back from Lizzie and Jane's apartment. Giving a shudder, she scurried back into the apartment, and decided to stay until she was sure Collins wouldn't be able to have time for that. You couldn't be late for work on a daily basis!

----- -----

Lizzie managed to make it in the big city with an hour before she had to begin to hunt down the hospital that she needed. With a grumble from her stomach, she pulled over and into a parking spot, and scurried into a bakery. The smell of fresh baked bread reached her, and she inhaled deeply. She had always loved that smell. It reminded her of when her father would cook.

With a slight cough, she walked up and ordered, while she kept an eye on her cell phone, knowing the moment a full hour reached, Charlotte would call. As she picked up her coffee and sandwich, she didn't realize someone was right behind her. She whirled around and took a step, and then succeeded in colliding into someone.

"Oomph." She mumbled for the second time that week. Why did that keep happening to her? Oh well, at least her coffee hadn't spilled all over the nice Italian suit. That stern looking jaw the man had made it seem like he wouldn't tolerate his clothes being soiled.

Right when she was about to hit the ground, she felt a strong arm snake around her waist, and she was instantly righted. _What is it with guys catching me when I fall?_ Lizzie thought angrily as she took a step back. The cashier looked positively frightened by the man, so Lizzie flashed the girl a smile, and turned to thank her "rescuer".

"You should apologize." The deep voice sounded familiar, but why? She didn't think she knew any men in New York City, but he didn't sound from there either. He sounded to be from Brittan or something; his voice soft and clipped.

"I was about to, god why are people so impatient?" Lizzie snapped, and looked up into cold, familiar eyes.

----- -----

Will walked out of his business office in a right state of annoyance. His clients from New York were positively wretched, and all needed to get their priorities straight before coming to his office.

Angrily, he walked down the street, and into the bakery nearby. With a smart authority, he walked up to the counter and waited in line. The girl in front of him was waiting for her food, but she seemed familiar. Why did she seem familiar? Her hair was just like- _don't think about it,_ he told himself sternly,_ you've come this far without going back to see her, don't ruin it over some knock up copy._ So engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't see her turn around, and collide right into his new suit.

"Oomph." The breath whooshed out of her, and Will's reflexes caused him to catch her before she hit the floor. Thankfully, only her sandwich hit the floor, and not her beverage. She had managed to keep hold of that one. Pulling her up from her dive, he saw her right herself, and turned back the cashier for something. The nerve of her! She should at least thank him! Honestly, New York City was a waste of his time. The girl was about to turn and walk away when he caught her arm.

"You should apologize." He said sternly, much to the horror of the cashier and the girl.

"I was about to! God why are people so impatient?" The girl snapped, and her voice was so familiar that Will glanced down in shock. The girl looked up at him, and both were silent.

"Darcy!"

"Lizzie!?"

"What are you doing here?" Both said at the same time. Darcy smiled, but Lizzie inwardly groaned.

**OKEE! This one's done, and I have most of the others after this done, but I won't be posting anything else until I get more reviews! HEEHEE! Devious little me, but don't think I wont! That's just how I am. I can keep typing, and you all can just review and review until I deem it worthy. Oh, my devious little brain , I love you all!**


	8. Trapped in the Closet!

**Okee, so with lack of a life in the summer, I'm going to keep going. It's sort of like the little engine that could. Except that I'm not an engine, I'm an average human who can't seem to pull in those darn reviews. BUT! There's hope. I'm putting my foot down darn you! I'm going to become tougher, I'm going to remove trace of a pushover, I'm going to… oh what the heck, let me just get to where I left off. It's not like you people read the bold print anyhow. Also, you all know that im a big ol softy who couldn't stop typing!!!so says curly haired disaster. One of my most dedicated readers! I 3 you!**

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Lizzie couldn't believe who she was looking at. He was tall, lean, and muscular. His unruly hair was on the verge of a horrible mess, but businesslike at the same time. Just seeing his dark, brooding eyes set her heart hammering in her throat, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say.

"Um… I'm interning for a surgeon here for awhile." She finally managed to respond to his question, even though he looked like he didn't want to talk to her. _Quit acting so stupid, it's only Darcy,_ she inwardly berated herself. This is the guy who acted like everyone was the scum beneath his leather shoes; the guy who mocked those who couldn't get into places that he could just because they didn't have money.

"Oh, that's… that's really good." Darcy said lamely, running a hand through his hair. Lizzie gave a small nod, and then there was silence. Lizzie hated these silences that he seemed ok to give, so she cleared her throat.

"What, not going to answer my question?" She asked archly; her eyes twinkling in mirth. Darcy's eyebrows shot up and a small smile ghosted his lips. It was that smile that always took Lizzie off guard. _Darcy doesn't smile, _she thought stupidly as he flashed a set of perfect white teeth. _And his teeth are too white._

"I suppose I should. I'm working with the law firm we have here. I've neglected this place far too much as it is." He replied with as much casualness that he deemed ok without it seeming suspicious. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, picked up her ruined sandwich, and with a quick goodbye, walked out of the bakery with dignity intact. Of course, now that her sandwich was soiled, she simply tossed it out in the trash bin nearby, and sat down in the umbrella seats. They were hard, plastic, and gum was stuck on the bottom of the seats, but combines the perfect wakeup ritual when you have coffee around 7:00 in the morning.

----- -----

Will inwardly berated himself as he watched her make a smooth getaway. _What a dolt,_ he cursed silently, _your first time seeing her for a rather long time, and you make an idiot of yourself!_

With a hasty order to the worker –who was much more frightened now that the quick witted girl was gone- Will set off at a brisk pace out of the bakery, and saw her sitting under an umbrella. She wasn't paying attention to what was going on around her; she seemed slightly in a daze as she watched a small group of girls walk past, their book bags showing off Scooby Doo, and the Power Puff Girls to the max. A small smile was playing across her features, and the twinkle was back in her eye.

"Out of all of the bakeries in New York City, you came to this one." She mused lightly as she gave a droll glance at him. Will blinked back his surprise at her addressing him, and that he didn't know she had seen him walk up.

"I always come to this one." He said with an off-hand voice. Lizzie smirked.

"My mistake." She gave slightly, putting her hands up in mock defeat. Will smiled slightly, and started to walk away. He turned back suddenly, and saw her glancing at him with a smile in her eye. He started to walk again when he realized that he probably wouldn't have a chance to talk to her again.

"How long have you been in New York City?" He asked as he sat down in the seat across from hers. Lizzie jumped slightly, and Will congratulated himself when he saw her blush slightly.

"I got here about ten or twelve minutes ago. Let me say that it was a very nice welcome you gave me Mr. Darcy." She replied with hint of a smirk. Will looked shamefaced for a moment before mumbling, "I haven't had a very good morning. My clients here are… difficult."

"Difficult? How so? Don't tell me that their minds are elsewhere, and thinking of something other than the task at hand!" Lizzie exclaimed. Will blanched at the harsh note the tone of her voice finished with, but could find himself smiling slightly at her humor. Why did she tease him so much? No one else had ever dared to mess with him; they would usually back down when they got to looking at his face, but she managed to get under his skin like no one else could.

"No, but they never have all of their facts straight. They change their alibis, and their sequences of events are never straight. They're simply…" He paused to find the words that wouldn't offend her.

"… They're simply human?" Lizzie finished the sentence for him, a quirk in her eyebrow. Will glanced at her sharply, but could make no further comment.

----- -----

Lizzie sat there for awhile, and got a good look at the man before her. His dress and fashion was immaculate, there was no doubt about that. He was haughty, and reserved, but full of pride, and arrogance. He was cute, but silent. He could be the most polite at one point, but the next moment he was rude. Also, he played video games. What well paid lawyer played video games?

Lizzie couldn't help but laugh right out as she remembered the two wealthy business men battling it out on the x-box. She snorted into her coffee, and tried to be discreet about the whole idea, but Darcy saw the tell-tale dimple that was trying not to appear.

"May I ask what is so funny?" He inquired in a slightly sharp voice. Lizzie glanced at him with raised eyebrows. Was it a crime to laugh at something these days? To him, it probably was.

"I was simply remembering that you and your friend-" (she couldn't bare to say his name) "who are such good business men, played x-box with exuberance. It is slightly interesting, don't you think?" She asked the last part with a smile.

"I'm only 25. Though I work in business when others are in college, I still like video games." He said in a slightly stiff voice. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, but could only reply with a snort.

"What?" He asked as he saw her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"You find offense in everything people say sometimes. I was merely saying that it is a different person than you portray." She replied with slight frustration. How could someone be so damn bi-polar? It was annoying but at the same time funny. Darcy really seemed to have a difficulty as he tried to make out what she was really trying to say. It was a few moments before he actually replied.

"Many people have multiple things they like to do. Mine interests seem to simply reside in very different categories." He said heavily as he took a drink to stop the dryness in his throat.

"Which is funny." She stated with a laugh.

"How so?" He demanded in a huffy breath. Lizzie cracked up and finished off her coffee.

"Most of your interests seem to be in the came place. After seeing you act a certain way every time I meet you, it is interesting and funny to me that the one time you act differently is when you play video games." She replied simply while she stood up and threw her trash out. Will watched as she turned to him, and stuck out a hand.

"It was nice seeing you Darcy. I gotta go and check into the hospital." She said lightly as she shook his hand. A small tingling sensation shot through her hand, but she took it as merely a shock from something in the air. He shook her hand firmly, and gave a tight smile. With a grumble, she turned and loped to her car, her curly hair blowing slightly to the side as the breeze wafted through the street lazily.

Lizzie got into her car, and was lightly unsettled when she saw him gazing at her with such intensity that she had to blink and look away to break the contact. As she mused about his strange behavior, she saw him shake his head, and pull out his cell phone. It was pressed to his ear in an annoyed sort of way as she pulled away.

"He really is a weird sort of person." She muttered as she turned up the volume of Kylie Monolog's song, _I Can't Get You Out of my Head._

----- -----

"She thinks I'm strange." Will said in an irritated voice as he watched her dingy car back up and pull away. With a groan, he watched as she returned his stare before looking away in a flustered attitude. As he watched her fiddle with the controls, he felt the vibration on his hip, and pulled his phone out.

"Darcy speaking." He said in his monotone business voice as he stemmed all emotion that he had felt just moments ago.

"Oh William, if that's the tone of voice you use when you talk with your Lizzie, then it's no wonder why she seems indifferent to you." The droll voice of his cousin wafted through the speaker. Will had to stem a grin as he rolled his eyes. Lizzie had seemed more prone to conversation now then before, that was for sure.

"I thought it was someone calling for business Blaise." Will ground out to his cousin burst into laughter.

"What if it was her calling?" Blaise asked mischievously as he heard more grumbling on the other end of the call.

"She doesn't have my number." Will stemmed any false hope from his thoughts.

"Quite the contrary my good friend, I gave her your number before she left. I told to give you a buzz if she needed anything." Blaise lied through his teeth. There was silence on the other end, and Will ground out angrily, "This is why I don't tell you things Blaise. You always interfere. I am planning on not seeing her again, and what happens? She steps right into my favorite coffee shop for a drink and we meet. I can't get that damn she-devil out of my life, and then you waltz in and tease me like you're a goddamn-"

"Wait, you saw her?" Blaise interrupted with hint of shock but humor. He knew his cousin was only angry at that fact because he most likely made an ass of himself in front of her.

"Yes and her sandwich hit the floor when she ran right into me."

"She can't resist you mate." Fitz said with a laugh as he leaned back in his chair, balancing a pencil on one finger. Will rolled his eyes, trying to tell himself to hate the idea. It didn't work.

"I have to get back to work." He stated loftily as he hung up. In truth, he had to get ready for a banquet that a good friend of his was sponsoring after a grueling recovery from a mentally handicapped child with worms. The kid's family had to pay a lot of money that they didn't have, so he was holding a banquet in order to raise enough money for them. He had gotten attached to the little guy; there was no doubt about that. When it all came to simplistic things, Dr. Rick Bradley was such a big old softy.

_"Face it mate, she's the thing that will undo you." Fitz said with a smirk as he lounged on a chaise. Will threw a controller at him as he paused his game on the X-Box. _

_"No she won't. You only know her from what you've heard from me. And I was most unwilling to give that information up anyway." He grumbled as he loaded his character on Halo 2. Fitz hooked his controller up, and logged into his character also. _

_"Are you saying that you can't tell me one thing bad about her?" Blaise taunted as he proceeded to take a needler, and shoot his cousin in the face (on the game of course)_

_"I could if I thought about it." Will said, knowing that every time he saw her, he always came up with a reason as to why he shouldn't like her._

_"If you could think about it…?" Fitz asked with a devious smirk. "The infamous Will can not go with a girl who has no perfection!"_

_"Blaise… Shut up." _

----- ------

Lizzie checked into the Hospital with a slight nervous air. The nurse gave her an annoyed look as she surveyed her clad in Chanel, but made no move but to hand her, her pass with her name printed across it in thick, bold letters. With a smile, Lizzie made it to the room she was supposed to be in with twenty minutes to spare. Taking her book, Man on Fire she read about Creasy getting physically fit until she heard a husky voice proclaim, "What a good book. But you're not in my office just to read, are you?"

Lizzie glanced up sharply, in a state of panic. She hadn't heard anyone come in. The man before her resembled a mix of tom cruise, and Mr. McDreamy off of Grey's Anatomy combined. It was a rather cute mix, and it caused her to smile at his with warmth.

"No, though I do like reading, I think I'm here to finish paperwork for my internship." She replied with a laugh.

"Well, I'm Dr. Bradley, and I'm the man you're going to be interning for! No need to try to hit on me or anything, I'm engaged." He joked as an icebreaker. Lizzie raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't dream of it." She said solemnly as she surveyed his casualty as he jammed his hands into the pocket of his white jacket.

They talked for awhile, information and paperwork needing filled out. Lizzie had to admit that he had that sort of aura about him that calmed other people when they worked, and it let her speak without nervous pangs in her stomach. She didn't feel the need for another coffee until noon when he decided to introduce those she would be working with.

"Also," He said as she shook hands with the secretary who had scoffed her nice apparel, "There's a banquet I'm holding tonight for a special patient here. I was wondering if you would like to come; meet new people."

Lizzie took a few moments before responding. She would need time to get a dress; she hadn't brought one with her. Also, if it was for someone, she assumed it was for charity, and would need to also bring cash.

"I already have a few donors for money of course." He responded seeing the thoughtful look on her face. "And also, it's more of a cocktail at 7:30 in the building right next to this one. I could introduce you to really good friends of mine. It would be good for my intern to meet friends while she was here." He added the last part in hopes that that would convince her.

"I could always drag her there, Rick." A big burly man named Brutus joked in his rumbling voice. Lizzie was shocked. She had met him for all of half an hour, and the only words she got from him was, "I'm Brutus," "I'm married with three kids," and "I work with the special needs children."

"No, I think I can come with my two working legs." Lizzie said a bit too fast for them to take as a simple yes.

"Scared of someone carrying you? She doesn't like male contact Rick, that's a shame!" Brutus teased in his deep voice. Lizzie glanced up and saw his eyes as kind, and joking.

"No… I just have to pick out a dress." She turned the subject around, glancing at Dr. Bradley pointedly.

"OH! I forgot, here, this is the business card, the numbers are… oh, and I'll have a limousine come and pick you up at 7:20. What's your address? Oh yes, it's more of a cocktail sort of gathering, that kind of dress you see." He then whispered the numbers, and handed her the card with a cheery grin. Brutus lead her gently to the exit as she protested weakly, but when the hospital doors were shut behind her, Lizzie knew she didn't have a choice but to go.

So now here Lizzie was, standing outside the building next to the hospital, and feeling very awkward. As she was showed to the door by the very fancy driver –when her aunt and uncle had seen it pull up for her, they had almost fainted with happiness that she was riding in something so nice- she was left to walk through the hall, and glance around for either Brutus or Dr. Bradley. Let me tell you that she was slightly awkward. Her first day in New York City, and she had managed to make herself feel uncomfortable. She had also ran into Darcy again, and that was no happy prospect.

_"Oh shit, sorry, I have this thing I need to- oh hell, it doesn't matter, I'm really sorry!" Lizzie exclaimed as she picked up her purse and gathered the scattered contents. _

_"Watch where you're going next time." An angrily clipped informed her as she stood up, dusting off her jeans. _

_"Look here, you could have easily moved right out of my- good god Darcy, you have a way to make someone angry!" She exclaimed as she stepped out of his way nastily. Darcy held a phone to his ear like glue, and was just as shocked to see her. _

_"Elizabeth Bennett. Again, my apologies. I wasn't looking where I was- I have a business call… yes George, I'm right here for God's sake…" His voice trailed off as he walked away smartly, his back straight and stiff. Lizzie stood there in shock as she saw the arrogant and angered face of his as he turned the corner. _

_"Prick." She muttered as she turned and walked into the store._

Her dress was a crème Dior cocktail dress that had a small sash around her waist, showing the slim figure that she had usually tried to hide. It was the latest fashion in London, and in Los Angelos, and was making its big premier in, "The Big Apple," so Lizzie had decided to try it out.

Lizzie saw many men standing with trays of Champagne and wine, so she snagged one and took a seat at one of the many round tables. She scanned the area for an acquaintance, and was relieved but perturbed as she saw Brutus walking towards her with a woman Lizzie took to be his wife.

It was interesting to see the large man in a suit. He was tall, as tall as Darcy at least, and had wide, barreling shoulders she took to be more geared for the main defense in football. To see him in a tuxedo, it was humorous. Brutus looked more like a drug dealer in the big business, or one of the crime lords that ran mafias in big families. The Italian type of business man, who had family in big places.

"Lizzie! I want you to meet my wife, Maria." He said in that deep rumbling voice that stopped my nervous thoughts. With a smile, Lizzie stood up, and shook hands with her, but she shook her head, and enveloped Lizzie in a hug.

"I don't shake hands unless I'm meeting a big business tycoon who I'm about to take oodles of cash from." She explained lightly as she smiled, flashing pearly whites. What was it with people and having perfect teeth? Lizzie was rather happy with her slightly too pointy canines, and teeth that weren't in a disgustingly perfect line. She felt like it set her apart.

"That's good that you're not planning on taking all of my money then." Lizzie said with a straight face, trying to dispel the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Maria laughed lightly, and grabbed her husband's arm. Her thin appearance contrasted heavily with his thick build, and Lizzie couldn't help but laugh along with them. The nice and laid back personality also helped to stem the anxious thoughts running through her mind.

"Like I was saying, there's nothing better than a banquet, don't you think good friend?"

"I rather hate these sorts of things, surely you know that."

"You're so pessimistic, you know that right?"

"I have become aware of that Rick, as you've not let me forget it these past few minutes."

"Find yourself a girl. I have this new intern, she's really cute, and really carefree, but we also had to coerce her into coming. Look, there's something both of you have in common!"

"You cease to amuse." The clipped voice sounded so familiar, that Lizzie whirled around to see Dr. Bradley waltzing towards her with none other than Will Darcy. As they neared, Will stopped walking altogether, and stared openly.

"Lizzie?"

"Darcy?"

"You know each other?"

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes."

"It works better when you stick to your first statement." Darcy said as he observed her with a rigid appearance. Lizzie groaned slightly, and Brutus heard this. With a grin, he stuck out a hand, and smiled.

"Long time no see Mr. Darcy." He said in the deep, reserved voice Lizzie had first heard him use. Will smiled thinly, and shook hands with him. Turning to his wife, Will nodded politely, but made no move to hug or shake hands.

"You didn't stick to your guns either Darcy." Lizzie commented as his gaze rested back onto her. Will gave an attempt at a smile (Lizzie thought he failed horribly) and looked back to his friend, Rick.

"This is your intern?"

"Yes, I'm his intern. I can hear everything you say to him by the way, you could've just asked me." Lizzie said sternly as Brutus covered a smile with a large hand. Rick laughed out right, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"This little firecracker was the top of her classes, and was approved as someone I could use for help. She also has good taste in dresses." He said as he eyed her dress appreciatively. Lizzie grinned and shrugged.

"Not my plastic card, not my worry." She said as she busted into laughter with Brutus.

"Yes, but it is your paycheck." Rick retorted with no trace of humor. Lizzie's eyebrows shot up so fast, it took most off guard at first.

"I was coerced into spending my own money by a boss who has no shame! Hardly my money." She scoffed as she saw him burst into comical laughter. She turned to Darcy to see if he was going to stay silent all evening, but saw that he wasn't even there anymore. _What an anti-social prick, _She thought angrily.

----- -----

Will Darcy turned the corner in a slightly panicked state. He had never had such an array of emotions spread over him like he had just felt before, and it scared him. Yes, the infamous Darcy felt scared. He didn't know how to react any other way, and when he had seen her, her hair in a bun, but the curls falling out around such perfect features…

"Shove it you idiot." He moaned as he pressed his fists against his eyes, and then ran his fingers through his impossible hair. "She doesn't even realize you like her. Hell, she doesn't even like you!"

It was also the fact that she looked so stunning in that dress that he had felt the impulse to simply touch her, just to make sure she was real. Not only would that be embarrassing, but raise interesting questions of his sanity.

"Not that again." HE muttered darkly as he paced back and forth. No, the only way that he could have stopped himself from telling her the forbidden words would be to leave, and with that he had walked away without realizing that in doing so, he was lowering himself in her eyes with every step he took.

----- -----

Lizzie walked through the halls, bored. The dinner had been entertaining; Brutus made sure of that. Of course, when Darcy decided to show himself again, he looked really dead pan, and spoke not even 10 words. It was Lizzie who was disgusted most with him about it, so she refused to say more than 10 words to him. The dinner itself was delicious; something that she knew cost a lot of money. But Dr. Rick was far from poor.

Dr. Rick was a surgeon who could have made large amounts of cash in a well to do hospital in Lost Angelos or an up to do place that pulled money in by the bucketfuls. Instead, he worked in a lesser place, pulling in minimal cash. Call it kindness, call it whatever you want, but Rick was someone that if they see a sick child, or they see an unresponsive teenager, that melts instantly and has to help.

"So, Lizzie, how do you like New York City?" Rick asked as they were waiting for dessert.

"It's been good so far except I've seemed to make a bad habit of running into people." She replied with a smile, trying her best not to look at Darcy to see his reaction. Brutus later told her that Will Darcy's face went slightly beet red and he looked down at his food, suddenly interested in the flower on his dessert plate.

Afterwards, there was dancing, and after Brutus danced with his wife, he whisked Lizzie onto the dance floor with a low laugh. Lizzie was once again surprised to see that he moved with grace, and didn't stomp around on the dance floor like his size would've allowed. When that was done with, Rick asked her to dance, and then introduced her to a few more friends.

They were all males, and Lizzie had the feeling she was being sized up skeptically when they were told she was interning for him. After dancing with a few of them, she was quite ready to slap a few, but decided against it. Accident isn't a good excuse for murder.

"Lizzie, I need to talk to Rick, have you seen him around?" asked one of the people who hadn't condescended her. He was pretty cute; his eyes looked more of a grey than a blue. It contrasted greatly with his brown hair that was in orderly spikes.

"No, I haven't. Let me go look for him." Lizzie replied; she was looking for an excuse to get away. Brutus watched her go with amusement, and saw Will Darcy get up, and follow. Laughing, he turned to his wife.

"Is it just me, or has Mr. Darcy behaved rather standoffish around her?" He inquired with a smirk. His wife hit him gently on the arm, scolding him roundly.

"Let the man get his bearings, she blows him out of his comfort zone, that much I'm certain." She replied with a knowing smile.

"That happened to me once…" Brutus said thoughtfully as he threw his wife a droll look. Maria grinned and grabbed her husband's hand, pulling him up towards the dance floor.

"Really, tell me about it!" she cried as he twirled her towards him with a laugh.

"It happened years and years ago, but I'll never forget our first meeting. I wouldn't dare get near her for fear of saying something really stupid…"

----- -----

Lizzie walked up a batch of stairs carefully, and slowly. She really just wanted an excuse to get away from the people around her, and finding him would give her the chance she needed. It wasn't that she hated the people, Lizzie merely found that she was really, really tired. She didn't really know why, but she was just pretty tired, and seeing Darcy three times in one day really didn't help anything.

She crossed through a small hallway slowly, and found a dead end. Grumbling in annoyance, she turned back and found Darcy walking towards her with a bold purpose.

"Elizabeth." He said firmly as he reached her. Lizzie quirked an eyebrow and nodded.

"That is my name." She drolly stated, a smirk gracing her face. His face flushed with embarrassment, but he plodded on slowly.

"Are you looking for someone?" He asked as they both turned to walk back to the main hall.

"I'm looking for Dr. Bradley."

"He is more than likely in the restroom, getting sick." He stated, and led her through another turn, and up a pair of stairs. Lizzie had to laugh at this. She had seen Rick downing several glasses of brandy, and turning redder with each glass. Will looked down at her so sharply that she busted into even more laughter.

"Sorry! It's just… funny. You probably think I'm crazy now." She muttered the last part with a grin, and shook her head. She always managed to burst into uncontrolled laughter whenever he was around. Lizzie had to acknowledge that he thought her crazy. It was understandable.

"No, you're not crazy. You just laugh a lot." Darcy mumbled as he brought her up another set of stairs, and opened a door experimentally. Lizzie rolled her eyes, and watched as he stepped in, and flicked on the light. She watched his back and saw that he was simply standing in the doorway.

"God Darcy, just walk in!" Lizzie snapped as she grew slightly annoyed with him. Pushing him to the side, she stepped in, and looked around the small cupboard. Will watched her as he realized that he had taken a wrong turn. He had been watching the facial features Lizzie had, and was trying to tell himself not to do something stupid. It was easier said than done, for when she had started laughing, he had almost laughed to. Why was her smile so contagious?

"Well… nice wine closet." She commented as she stared around. Will looked at her helplessly and said, "I took a wrong turn."

"I can see that." She snapped as she turned back to him. "Let's just get out of here, it's really cramped." She crossed the small space, and jiggled the handle. It was much to her horror that…

"The handle's stuck." She cried out as she turned back and faced Darcy as she slammed her shoulder into the door.

She was stuck in a wine closet… with Will Darcy.

----- -----

**YAY ME! Uh oh… she's in a closet with the heartless, rich, hot man. What's a poor girl to do?!?! Is this a good cliffhanger?!?! Let me know, and you know… the only way you can do that is if you… yes, that's right… Review! you guys are so nice to me!**


	9. Uh Oh

**Ok, so now that my foot is stuck underground from me putting it down, I find that it's sort of boring waiting for reviews. So, if I can snag at least 10 per chapter, I can be a very happy person. And a happy writer always has a good story. And I'm happy when I get reviews… hint hint… but you guys are so nice to put up with my nagging, so let's get back to what happened when Lizzie and Darcy found out the worst thing imaginable…**

**----- -----**

"The handle's stuck." She cried out as she turned back and faced Darcy as she slammed her shoulder into the door. It wouldn't move, so she turned back and kicked it for good measure.

"Let me see it." He said calmly as he took her shoulder and pulled her gently away.

"What, you think a woman couldn't open a measly door?" She snapped as he turned the handle delicately and then with more pressure. Darcy didn't answer; he merely took out a card, and slid it through the crack between the door and the side. Still nothing.

"It's stuck." He commented calmly. Lizzie laughed right at him, and smacked her hand against her head.

"I just told you that!" She cried angrily as she walked up to the door. Darcy turned back to her severely, and stepped towards her. Lizzie took a step back and soon found herself pressed against the wall.

"It appears that we're stuck." He said lightly as he glared down at her. "Your sarcastic comments won't make the situation any better. His eyes flashed dangerously as Lizzie tried to push him away. Like the door, he didn't budge.

"Just get as far away from me as possible Darcy, I get claustrophobic." She snapped, suddenly remembering his words at the silly Netherfield ball. That did nothing to help her mood. If anything, it only made her angry at him. Will stepped back, and slid onto the floor, spreading his long legs out in front of him. His nice suit was now most likely ruined. The dust settled around them, and the dull light swung above their heads.

They sat in silence for about ten minutes, and Lizzie was annoyed. She couldn't believe that of all the people in the world she was stuck in the closet with none other than Mr. Grumpy himself. She would rather have been in the cramped space with Brutus! He was larger, so there would've been less room for her, but at least there would have been a friendly conversation. Lizzie hated how Darcy deemed awkward silences an OK thing to do.

"So…" She mused after twenty minutes of silence. Will looked over at her and raised an eyebrow.

"So what?" He asked with an edge in his voice.

"So what should we do while we wait for someone to rescue us?" Lizzie asked with false enthusiasm. Will gave her a look like she was stupid, and shrugged.

"It's a wine closet, there's not much to do." He snapped as he tried to get more comfortable. Grumbling under her breath, Lizzie crossed her legs.

"Are you always such a grump? I mean, at least try to make this a little less silent and awkward!" She snapped as she got up, and stretched in the small space. Will was caught off guard at her vehemence, and when Will's caught off guard, he usually does something stupid.

"I'm only a grump around certain people. Even then, I don't think anyone would be happy here with present company" He grouched as he stretched in long legs out even more. Lizzie turned back to him, her mouth set angrily.

"Wow that makes me feel so special." She spat sarcastically as she slid down in annoyance. Will gave a start as he realized what he said.

"No, I meant sometimes… I mean, you know, I didn't mean…" He finished lamely as he gave up the statement altogether. Lizzie smirked as she saw him settle back into his brooding silence.

"No Darcy, just admit it, you hate my guts because I don't give into your proud attitude." She taunted; baiting the tiger. Will glanced up sharply, but gave no other comment but a politically correct shrug. They then settled back into silence. Lizzie rolled her head back and forth, annoyance at his arrogance settling in. How could someone deal with themselves like that all the time? Lizzie would have probably killed herself if she was like that.

Finally, the silence grew to be too much for her. With a groan, she grabbed a wine bottle from above her head and quirked an eyebrow.

"Know any good drinking games?"

----- -----

"So when I was eighteen, I realized that my boyfriend was a complete ass hole, and I decided that all guys are jerks! I mean, look at you! You sit there acting all high and mighty, but you need to get a girl. Have you ever had a girlfriend?" Lizzie asked loudly in the closet as she downed a bottle of scotch. Will flicked some dust off of his sleeve, and resisted the impulse to laugh out loud. Their drinking game had turned Lizzie rather drunk, and when she was drunk, she just so happened to tell the truth a lot, and ramble.

"I assure you, I have had several girlfriends." He stated with amusement as he saw her grin; her one dimple showing as she rolled her eyes. In the time that she was drinking, Will had learned that she loved big dogs, hated cats because they were too pissy to really like, her favorite color used to be silver because her boyfriend's boxers were always some design of silver. He learned her political views, how to seduce a fat man, her favorite food and why, and that she'd rather have a man to hate than a man to love. That was just the warm-ups, let me assure you.

"They're workaholics or bimbos. I hate girls who have to play stupid for a guy. You notice that the 'dumb blondes' are the ones that have dyed their hair? Jane's not dumb unless it comes to love. She's way too nice, and look what happened to her!" She rambled as she leaned her head against the wall and snorted. "That's why guys are stupid. That's why they say girls are stupid. They trust a guy, and look what happens! Months on a bed crying over someone who isn't mourning for you in the least bit. They're probably hitting on the next nice girl they've met."

"I also assure you that not all guys are pigs." He said heavily as he heard the last bit about her sister. It intrigued him that Lizzie had said that her sister had suffered. Maybe she was talking about a different boy after Charlie broke up with them. He sincerely hoped so.

"Which man are you talking about?" He asked as he watched with a smirk as she landed a glare in his direction, and snorted.

"You know, you're no smooth talker. I remember the first time I met you. You informed that Charlie guy that I was below average, and you wouldn't dance with me because of that! You really know how to make someone offended. You're a very proud person Darcy." She said as she pulled up another bottle. Will raised an eyebrow, and took the bottle away.

"I think you've had enough to drink Lizzie." He informed her as she said angrily, "Give that back!" She went silent, and folded her arms and glared. Giving a huffy breath, she slurred, "And you wonder why people don't like you. You're so mean to me."

"If you want the bottle, come and get it." He teased gruffly. He didn't really plan on letting her have it back. He also didn't know why he was teasing, but the innocent look on her face and the wide smile made his heart thump painfully in his chest. With a grin, she dove for the bottle, but he pulled it up above his head. Lizzie look at him pitifully, her eyes a vivid green.

"Please?" She asked. She was so drunk that she didn't remember that the wine closet had bottles all around her. The only one she knew was the one Darcy held right above his head. With a grumble, she had a devious idea. Her slurred mind thought it was an entertaining idea, and with a smile, she plopped herself right into his lap, and stared right at him.

"Can I please have that back?" She asked innocently. She leaned in slightly, and she had to congratulate herself when she saw his deep blue eyes widen in shock.

"Miss Bennett… please g-gain a hold of yourself." He snapped with not enough annoyance. To his horror, he liked the idea of her sitting there, and watching him so intently. His eyes fluttered closed as she placed kisses down his neck. He managed not to groan as she unbuttoned his jacked, and loosened his tie slightly. He cursed as his muscles tensed when she ran a hand down his chest. She then pulled back with a smirk.

"Can I please have that back?" She repeated the question, leaning in more. Her lips parted slightly, and she leaned in closer. His breath was coming out quickly, and he could barely contain himself. It took all of his will just to not kiss her right then and there. The spark that he had felt when they had danced came rushing back, and he had to restrain himself with thoughts of what might happen if they were found.

_She's really pretty._ His mind whispered to him deviously. His sub-conscious was trying to trick him, and he was not having that. Her curls were their deep brown and haloed her face perfectly. Though her cheeks were flushed from drinking so much, her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"You're not being nice." She whispered as she leaned in next to his ear. Will resisted even more, but he found his arm lowering slowly. He rose it back up in alarm that she was having this effect on him. Her eyes gazed at him brightly, and he longed just to kiss her. His moral was breaking slightly, and he knew she knew it.

Grinning she looked back at him, and reached up to grab hold of the bottle. Triumphantly, she seized it, and pulled it away, careful not to move too fast. She inhaled as she saw his brilliant sapphire eyes gaze at her with emotion, and smelt the brilliant sharp smell of peppermint and something she couldn't name.

"Thank you." She breathed, but as she moved to go back to her post, Darcy broke the spell, and kissed her. It was nothing deep, but it was intense. The feeling of her lips against his sent Will on edge, and he could barely hold himself back as she kissed him back, her eyes closed. Her skin burned his, and Will breathed in her scent of lavender and vanilla.

Lizzie was on all ends, shocked. She could barely think straight with the alcohol, but when he kissed her, any attempt at thought was futile. His skin was smooth, his hair thick and messy; his kiss intense. She breathed in sharply at his touch, and desired more. Her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, and she traced his back muscles underneath his jacket. Will's nerves stood on end, and he placed butterfly kisses across her cheek, and down her neck. Lizzie's eyes flew open at the sudden burning feeling that had nothing to do with the alcohol, and without warning, pulled herself away, her eyes wide.

Will gasped something fierce as he realized what he had done. She scrambled away from him sluggishly, and sat there, staring at him like he was insane.

"Please… let me apologize. I- I didn't mean for that to…" Will stammered as he pressed himself even more against the door, humiliation etching the lines on his face. After all of this… after pushing against the attraction, he kissed her! When she was drunk no less! With an inward curse, Will shoved his back against the door with slight force, and with a grating shrill squeak, the door opened. Will's head hit the floor outside the closet, and looked up at the ceiling in surprise.

"The door's open…" Lizzie mused drunkenly, and pulled herself up. Her legs wobbled, and she downed the rest of the bottle to steady her nerves that fluttered uncontrollably in her stomach. Will stood up, and dusted his suit off, his eyes still narrowed in disgust and horror at what he had just done. He glanced back at the girl that was gripping the door handle shakily, and the color drained from his face. Glancing at his watch, he also saw that to his horror, they had been in there for more than two hours.

Both people stood still (well, Lizzie stood as still as she could when she was drunk) and stared at each other for a few moments. She had another bottle of whiskey now, and had some of it already drained. Will knew that she wouldn't be able to get home without help, but he had just found out what close proximities with her did to him, and was slightly scared he'd kiss her again.

Lizzie tried to take a step out of the room, but failed horribly, and sagged against the doorframe, taking another drink.

"I think you've now had enough." Will said sternly as he grabbed it, corked it, and rolled it back into the storage room. He knew Lizzie was too shaky to go back after it, and was too drunk to realize that there was a huge stack next to her. Will watched in amusement as Lizzie tried to take a step, and sunk to the ground in surrender. He then took this as a chance to redeem his embarrassment from earlier.

"Do you need help getting home?" He asked as he pulled her up, and supported all of her weight easily. Lizzie pushed him away, and snapped, "I can walk by myself."

"You're going to hurt someone, or you're going to get hurt if you keep this up." Will said with a smirk as she stumbled over her own two feet. Walking back to her, he snagged her by the waist, and slung her over his back. Protesting weakly, Lizzie was forced to surrender as he took her down the flights of stairs and managed not to be seen. Grumbling, Lizzie managed to let herself be put down when they got into the street. Will gave in when he realized she could call rape or abduction in her state, and he would be carted off to god knows where for a hefty fine, and an explanation.

"You know something, Darcy? You have really pretty eyes. You scowl too much, so no one ever notices." Lizzie said as Will steadied her against his side. One arm was laced around her waist, the other clenched in his pocket. She was clinging to him for support as she tried to walk down the simple sidewalk, and found that the smell she couldn't identify earlier was simply a sharp smelling soap. _Peppermint and soap, _she thought sluggishly, _what nice blending smells._

"Where are you staying, Lizzie?" Will asked as he dodged her statement. He pulled her gently over to a bench where people usually waited for the buses, and set her down gently. She immediately sagged into his shoulder, and taking a deep breath to steady her whirling thoughts. Where did she live? Her thoughts ran rampant, thinking back to anything that she could remember, but drew blanks each time.

"No… I don't know where I live!" She cried in panic as she shot straight up, hoping for the directions to pop out of nowhere. Will shushed her gently, and eased her back to sitting down, and tried to think. He couldn't just leave her anywhere; she would obviously get hurt in her condition. Just the thought of something her made him intensely angry, and he tried to stem the emotions wanting to bubble over.

He didn't want to intrude on friends, and he didn't know her relatives. If left at a hotel, something could happen. With a shock, Will realized that the only place she could stay was his house in the city. He had enough places for her to crash, but just the thought of her being in his home… it made him think back to the closet. He didn't want to lose control like that again, and he had to think fast.

"You'll stay with me." He stated as he tried to stem fast rising emotions. Lizzie turned and looked up at him with a question in her eyes. "You're in no condition to be anywhere else, and you don't know where you live. One night only."

"You sure about this Darcy? Are you grouchier in the mornings?" She asked as he stood up, and pulled her close next to him. Her smell struck him full in the face, and he straightened up quickly, pulling her gently along beside him.

"I assure you, I am not always a 'grouch' as you put it." He said calmly as he walked in the general direction of his penthouse.

"You could be so much nicer if you smiled once in awhile. Your smile is beautiful. It could be used as a weapon in business deals. It stuns people. When I saw you smile, I couldn't say anything at first." Lizzie rambled slightly as she looked up in time to see his smile across his face at her words. "See? It dazzled people."

"Does it dazzle you?" He teased slightly, not able to help himself. She always made him slightly more playful than he usually was. More or less, Darcy was really sometimes just a grouch, exactly as she put it.

"Yes." She confirmed in a firm voice. Will looked down at her and saw that she was shivering slightly. The dress was really pretty, but was a short sleeved, making the slightly chilled air of December get to her. Her eyes were sparkling as she gazed around at the dark scenery around them. They were in an upper class neighborhood, and most of the inhabitants were either in bed, or at a party somewhere else.

"Do you need a jacket?" He asked with concern as she shivered involuntarily. Lizzie looked back up at him, and grinned despite herself. Giving a nod, she took his as he stopped and handed to her.

"You're just like a gentleman Darcy. You can be the nicest person on earth sometimes, you know that?" Lizzie asked with a small smile. The jacket smelled just like him, and it made her smile. Will burst into laughter at this and replied with humor, "A gentleman am I? I should hope so. I have worked hard at being the way I am."

"It paid off." She said simply as she clung to his arm for support when she stumbled. A little bit as they crossed the street. Will steadied her and paused for a moment in thought.

"Why do you always call me Darcy?" he asked thoughtfully as he began to walk again. Lizzie looked at him for a moment before responding.

"I don't know." She admitted with a shrug in his large jacket. It definitely was too large for her, but it was also definitely warmer. "It's just something I've always called you."  
"Hmm…" He droned thoughtfully as the walked slowly up to the penthouse that he owned at the top of the Hotel he resided in. It was far cheaper to own the penthouse than it was to own an apartment in a simple side of town. It was also easier, considering the room service that kept his rooms in tip top order.

"We're here." He said simply as he walked her up the steps, and into the richly adorned room. Stuffy men in suits walked up the stairs into business rooms for conferences, and women lounged at the bar, sipping martinis. A bellhop held open the elevator door for them as they walked over to it. Lizzie smiled gratefully as she leaned against the bar in the elevator, her stomach jumping as her head reeled. She was too wrapped up in not getting sick that she didn't notice that she was under close scrutiny by both the bell hop, and Will.

"The penthouse Michael." Will stated wearily as he surveyed the drunk woman before him. She was still pretty, there was no doubt, but he was more surprised that she hadn't gotten sick yet.

"Very good sir." The Bell Hop murmured softly as he saw the girl support her head in her hand. _Hangovers are killer_, he thought sympathetically. When they finally reached the top, Will grabbed hold of her again, and pulled her towards the door. With his other hand, he pulled out a twenty, and passed it back to the Bell Hop.

"Thank you sir." He said with a smile as he stepped back into the elevator and watched the two walk together (more Darcy supporting her than both walking) and make it to the door.

"Young love." He said with a laugh as the elevator doors closed on the scene.

Will unlocked the door easily, Lizzie leaning against the wall. As he opened the door, she sunk down onto the floor, and hiccupped.

"Come on Lizzie, we're almost there." He prodded gently as he bent down to survey her.

"No." She muttered and folded her arms, daring him to do something. Will looked annoyed, but sympathetic at the same time. Two very different emotions to feel at the same time. Poor Darcy.

"Lizzie, don't make me." He threatened. Lizzie glared at him, and replied drunkenly, "You wouldn't dare." Of course, these are often famous last words. Sure enough, Will grinned, dazzling her slightly, and then picked her up easily.

"Put me down!" She slurred as she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling flat on her butt. Darcy's heart thumped painfully in his chest as he saw her look at him, their faces suddenly very, very close. Shaking his head Will tried to shake away the thoughts of her lips that were temptingly close, and her skin that was flushed from drinking so much.

"Not yet. You want to fall on the floor?" He asked as he tried to change the thoughts running rampant through his mind. Lizzie yelped at the idea, and clung to him even more as she stared at the floor, her eyes tricking her mind into thinking it was farther away then it really was.

Bursting into laughter, Will walked through the hallways, and found the living room with the comfortable couch nearest to a bathroom. He still didn't know whether or not she would get sick, and didn't want to find out the hard way. Setting her down gently, he then went to the closet, and pulled out a few blankets and a pillow.

"The restroom's down the hall and the very first one on the right…" He trailed off as he saw her asleep, curled up in his jacket. With a small smile, he put the pillow underneath her head, and set a blanket over her. As he turned to go to his bedroom, he brushed her hand, and he felt a slight tugging at his sleeve of his white shirt. Looking down, he saw that she had a hold of his sleeve, and then his hand as she slept.

Will looked down at his predicament, and sighed. Running a hand through his hair, he sat down on the floor next to the couch. Taking the other blanket, he settled it over his legs as he looked back at her. She gripped his hand loosely, and kept snoozing, thankfully not sick.

With a stern shake of the head, he settled down and tried to rid the contradictions of liking her from his head. Right now, all that mattered was her. He knew that in the morning she would probably freak out, and then suffer from a complete hangover, but right now, all that mattered was him, and her.

Not that he cared or anything.

----- -----

A headache is one of the worst things to ever have to suffer through. They really focus on just one singular point, and it feels like a hammer striking over and over and over again. The only way to really get past of one these is a painkiller, water, and sleep, but when Lizzie Bennett woke up from her sleep, and right into a hangover, she had other problems. She didn't even know where the hell she was…

**YAY BOLD PRINT! Ok, so this one was shorter than the others I've done, so I'm terribly sorry, but I don't want to go too fast. An even pace, if you get what I'm saying…**

**Also, to answer a few reviews (if those with these questions read this) um, here-**

**This is based on the book, AND the movie, AND random twists and turns that come to mind. I'm just a little weird like that. I don't want to follow too close to either, but I don't want to stray too much from it either. **

**Also, the reason why she doesn't know about Jane and Charlie, and Darcy's interference is because she hasn't been to Rosings yet! I can't forget that part right there! That would ruin everything! **

**Aaand finally, I'm sorry if they "didn't get their groove on" in the closet. Get your mind out of the gutter you sickos!!!**

**You know what you want to do?? You want to review, that's what you want to do! **


	10. Pancakes and Ribbons

**OOOOOOOOok, so catching up to the news, I have officially decided that you people are the coolest people to ever walk the planet. I'm serious, I've never had this much support for a story from friends I see on a daily basis who read my stuff! You guys really make me enjoy writing this stuff, and without further adeau, I bring you Jane's small adventure and near heart attack! Oh, you were so hoping for Lizzie's reaction weren't you!?!? Keep reading, you might get it! **

**----- -----**

Jane walked through the crowded shopping district of Manhattan on a bad day. The streets were overloaded with rich, poor, thieves, brigands, snooty, humble, and jostling people at 7:30 in the evening. The air was nippy and hinted frost covering everything, and soon. Jane took a deep, crisp breath of fresh air, and looked over at a jewelry store for something to get Lizzie. She knew Lizzie would love a new necklace to go with a black and white party that was coming up soon, and knew the exact place in Manhattan to get it.

Stepping lightly, she managed to get over to the other side of the street without getting run over. Jane smiled as she saw a small group of little children being herded by a smiling man and woman, and her heart panged as the lady called out in mock anger, "Oh, stop it Charlie!" Of course, it wasn't Charles Bingley, but it still managed to make Jane want to sink down into the sewer and drown. A small girl ran around her, and accidentally tripped over her purse that had dropped onto the ground unexpectedly.

"Oh, I'm sorry miss, please forgive me?" The little girl exclaimed as her mother scolded her gently.

"No, no… it's quite alright, here, would you like a sucker?" Jane said plastering on a fake smile as she handed a sucker out to the little girl. Grinning, she took it gladly, and thanked Jane roundly with a hug.

"I'm really sorry!" The lady exclaimed as she reeled her child in. Smiling, Jane was about to reassure the girl's mother, but she saw something that made her stop in her tracks, an imaginary fist in her mouth. Charlie Bingley was walking towards her as he was talking at a fast pace with his sister, Caroline. There was a big smile on his face (she didn't realize it was a fake one) and he was laughing. Jane also didn't realize that his laughter was too loud, almost as if it was a forced kind. There were a lot of bags in his hands, and he kept turning back to Caroline, who was falling behind her energetic brother.

Something sucker punched Jane in the gut, and she involuntarily winced. Instinct told her to run, but she couldn't get her muscles to move at her command. It seemed as if all she could see was his smiling face. Jane took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and started to walk off quickly when the little girl ran in front of him.

"Hello mister, do you have any candy like this lady does? She gave me a lollypop!" The girl gushed as she held up a sucker stuck to her palm. Charlie stopped talking and bent down, a large smile on his face. Jane didn't notice that the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry I don't have any candy. Maybe I should go and buy some?" He suggested as he tickled the girl's tummy affectionately. Her mother was too shocked at her daughter's audacity to rush forward and scold her roundly. Jane still stood rooted onto the spot. Caroline glared at her brother, and looked around her in disgust. Her gaze froze when she saw Jane.

"This lady had candy." The girl stated firmly, pointing right at Jane. Jane sucked in breath, prepared to run, when Charlie looked up with a grin. His smile faltered when their gazes locked, and he stood up quickly. Caroline was glaring at her, her eyes glinting daggers at Jane.

"Jane…" Charlie mused thoughtfully, suddenly nervous. He seemed like if he said anything else, she would blow away. Caroline rolled her eyes, and walked off, muttering something about having the limo pulled up. Charlie stood stock still.

"Charles Bingley. Pleasure to see you." Jane said in an offhand voice, a cold air taking over. She had never felt such emotions before, and it worried her slightly. Usually, when she saw old boyfriends, she could be polite and kind, but for some reason, she couldn't be nice seeing him look so annoyed at seeing her. She had never felt so humiliated in her life.

"Yes… yes, quite a pleasure…" Charlie muttered as he mimicked Will Darcy, and ran a hand through his hair. Jane and he stood still for a moment, both unable to look away from each other. Neither noticed the girl walking away with her hand clasped firmly in her mother's.

Jane wanted to understand him, and laugh with him, and love him again, but she thought he hated her. Charlie wanted to take her back, hold her, whisper words of love, and never leave her, but he thought she hated him. Both took on airs of indifference, and giving polite nods, walked off. Charlie was silent, and turned back to say something, but saw her walking away, her back straight. He turned and plunged into a crowd of people to get to his limo, and didn't see when Jane turned and stared at his back, pain clear in her eyes.

Amazing how people think so many things, but never think to actually say them.

----- ------

Light dawned bright and early in the penthouse in NYC. Light filtered through the windows, and right into Lizzie's face. With a groan, she felt the unmistakable affects of a hangover cloud her mind. A hammer slammed repeatedly against her head, and caused her to keep her eyes screwed shut to block out some of the pain. Her throat was dry, her tongue thick in her mouth. She wanted to say a word, any word. _Ok, let's see a word, um, let's try "hello," shall we? That sounds simple, ok, one, two, three…_

"Nyaa?" said her treacherous lips. _Ok, that was no good. Good god, where am I, and how did I get here?_ With a wince, she cracked open one eye, and then another. Her headache proceeded to pound as she tilted her head up, and a wave of nausea rolled over her. _Ok, sitting up is no good either. Let's try rolling over._ With a groan, Lizzie rolled over, and smelt a sharp smell of peppermint and soap. It was a nice smell, but she couldn't identify where she had smelled such a concoction before.

Opening her eyes wider, she saw that she had rolled into a jacket, which was why it had smelled so nice. But whose jacket was it? What had happened yesterday? Where the hell was she? Lizzie found (much to her horror, and panic) that she didn't remember anything apart from going to a party the night before. Everything after that was like a blank slate; she couldn't remember a thing.

"Are you awake?" Asked a clipped, but soft voice. Obviously British. It was soft, but calculating, and it didn't hurt her head like Lizzie assumed any noise would. Pressing her fists against her eyes, Lizzie managed to sit up without feeling sick to her stomach.

"I hope you're alright, you drank a lot last night." Came the precious voice. Lizzie liked that voice; she thought she could listen to it all day without complaint. Of course, sleep left her groggy, so when she was able to remove her hands, she jumped in shock and surprise, and gave an astonished, "Holy shit!" as she fell off of the couch. When she managed to pull herself up, she didn't shriek again like her mind told her to when she saw William Darcy standing right above her with two mugs of coffee. She was too tired to complain when he sat down next to her, handing her a mug while he did so. Lizzie drank to try and wake up.

------ ------

Will sat there and couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her hair was barely messed up, and the only thing to be said was that right underneath her eyes were dark circles from lack of sleep. If anything, it made her more human, but more beautiful at the same time. She was sitting there dumbly, and sipping her coffee slowly; it was hot. Will was slightly apprehensive when he heard her attempt at speech; he thought she was going to start screaming. He was happy to see that she wasn't over reacting.

"You couldn't remember the directions to your house, so I thought it would be better for you to stay here, instead of some random place where you could have gotten hurt." Now it was the time to talk. He had to reassure her before the caffeine kicked in.

"What a gentleman." She commented softly as she took another sip, her eyes wide as she tried to wake up. Will didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or an insult. Will decided to ignore her statement altogether.

"I'm sure your head is in a lot of pain, so I brought this." He said hastily, handing her two small painkillers. Lizzie took them dumbly, and downed them with the rest of her coffee. Setting the glass down, she then turned and looked at Will for the first time. It was then that she snapped.

----- -----

"Oh please tell me that we didn't… oh dear god, Darcy, tell me that we didn't… and how did I get drunk? Why were you there? How did we get here? Please tell me… that we… oh dear god… why can't I remember anything?" She groaned the last part, sinking down into the couch, putting her head in her hands. Lizzie had stood up when the torrent had begun. Now, she was trying desperately to remember what she had done the night before. Will's color quickly left his face, and he choked on his voice.

"I assure you Elizabeth, t-that we didn't do w-what you thi-think we- we didn't do anything! I promise you that nothing happened!" He stuttered as he downed his coffee to sooth his suddenly dry throat. "Can't you remember anything?" He asked hopefully, praying that he didn't have to explain anything.

Lizzie was silent as she tried to remember. It was making her dizzy, trying to remember, but just the thought that something might have happened between them; it made her shudder. Her mind was working overtime, but she still could only come up with the sharp smell of peppermint and soap.

"No, I can't remember anything. How did I get so drunk?" She asked as she accepted another cup of coffee. Will had been awake for a couple hours now, and was willing to give it up. (AN- isn't he so sweet?!?!)

"We got locked in a closet. You ended up getting pretty damn slammed. I helped you home, but you didn't know where your home was, so I ended up taking you here so you didn't get hurt." He said hurriedly, trying to say the first part like being trapped in a closet was totally average, and happened all of the time. Lizzie's eyes widened with each word, and when she looked down, she saw that she was still in her dress, and even her high heels. Will's jacket was still half on her, and half off.

"Wow… well, thanks… I guess." She mumbled, embarrassed. She had never gotten so drunk that she hadn't remembered anything before, and made a vow to herself that only two drinks were allowed after this mess. She felt awkward that she was imposing on him like that, and making him obviously annoyed that she was there.

"No, please, Liz, it wasn't a problem at all. Don't think that you were a problem, it was perfectly fine. I was taking a day off today anyway!" He exclaimed as he saw the look of an awkward moment on her face.

"Oh, um thanks though, you didn't have to do that." She said with a laugh as she downed the rest of the coffee, and set that one down. Now that her usual personality was coming on, she wasn't going to keep an awkward moment going. She was still slightly surprised that Will was being so nice though. It was a nice surprise though, and she didn't mind. Even though it contradicted everything that she had ever thought of him.

_But I did have to do that, _He thought guiltily as he blurted out, "It wasn't a problem at all! You weren't imposing on anything, would you like some breakfast?" Will had tacked on the last part randomly, trying to lighten the mood. It worked. Lizzie's smile widened and she nodded (and then grabbed her head in pain) when she shook it too hard. Grinning at the small victory, Will helped her up, and led the way to the kitchen that held the breakfast food, and Lizzie saw that he had already begun cooking the food; the bacon, eggs, and pancakes simmering in light oil.

_What an interesting change…_ Lizzie mused lightly as she was set down on a bar stool to watch him cook with simplified ease. The uptight, all business, proud, stuffy, rich man was… cooking? What man in his right mind would cook food when they could afford a maid to cook it for them in their penthouse that they went to maybe once a year? Apparently, Darcy did! Still, it was better than Lizzie waking up in a bed with some stranger who went by the name of "big boy" in some rusted up hotel. Much better.

"So, the great Will Darcy cooks?" She asked as she realized she wasn't being polite in simply thinking about the difference with him. Will glanced up sharply at her tone, but his features softened when he saw a wry smile lighting her features.

"And always jumping to the offense when he hears something unexpected." She mused as she picked up the crystal salt shaker with a raised eyebrow. Will was simply looking at her in shock that someone with a hangover could actually crack jokes, especially when she had drunk so much the night before.

"I simply thought-"

"Oh, that's dangerous to do Darcy; don't you need a brain for that?" She teased lightly with a bright smile. Her head twanged sharply at her muscles contorting into something other than pain, and her smile dropped to a frown.

"I have a brain, thank you for that comment." He snapped as he turned back and flipped the pancakes expertly.

"Are you always so perfect in everything you do?" Lizzie asked after a couple of minutes of watching him flip the food without missing a beat.

"No, why do you ask?" He inquired with a furrowed brow as he worked to impress.

"Oh yes, you told me about your temper…" She remembered thoughtfully as she shook out some salt, and tasted the sharp particles to see what would happen. With a snort, she then sneezed loudly, thinking dully that only pepper should do that. _Of course, salt was a disgusting thing to eat, it greases your arteries with fat so your blood can't circulate…_ she thought as she tried to scrape the nasty taste off of her tongue. At that time, Will turned around with a plate of eggs, and he couldn't help but laugh right out at her wincing from her headache, but clawing at her tongue like a maniac.

"Having trouble with something?" He teased as he set down the plate, and turned back to save the bacon from burning.

"No, thank you so much for the rescue though." She snapped playfully as she pushed the salt as far away from her as possible. Rolling her eyes at her own idiocy, she vowed never to like salt as long as her stupid hangover lasted. (AN- She's acting weird because of her hangover, I got the tips from my cousin when she came to our house around 4:00 in the morning…)

"I assure you, Lizzie, that you're someone who would like to do her own rescuing, and probably wouldn't appreciate someone else coming along to steal your thunder." Will responded as he set the pancakes and the bacon down.

"Do you have peanut butter?" Lizzie asked, dodging the sudden feeling in the pit of her stomach at his words. Did she really come off as someone who was too independent for anyone's help? She sure hoped not.

"Why would you need peanut butter?" Will asked incredulously as he pulled out a small thing of it out of a cupboard.

"It goes good on pancakes." She said simply as she slathered it on with exuberance. (AN- you should try it sometime, it tastes REALLY good…) Will raised an eyebrow at this, but simply added butter and syrup to his food. He watched with slight amusement as Lizzie took a taste of his food, caution in her eyes.

"I haven't poisoned it!" He teased with a laugh as she took a bite.

"It's really good." She gave in after swallowing it down with milk. Her eyes sparkled at an unsaid sarcastic comment, but she didn't elaborate her thoughts to a curious Will.

"Well, I am good at everything." He joked as he watched her intensely. She stopped eating to look at him with surprise; eyes wide in thought and wonder. She was more surprised at the fact that he was… teasing her. Will Darcy, multi-millionaire guru was… teasing her!? It was something that boggled her, and she couldn't figure what was going on with him.

"What's with the change Darcy?" Lizzie asked when she couldn't think of anything to say. Will raised an eyebrow, and simply took a small drink of his Orange Juice.

"I've been the same man the whole time. Maybe it's you who's changed?" He asked with hint of amusement playing at his features. Lizzie was once again taken aback by his smile that lit up his whole face, and dazzled her slightly.

"No, I'm still Lizzie, just hung-over. Seriously though, you aren't so angry at the world like you were when you were in Brooklyn. What happened to that?" She asked with caution, not wanting to ruin the sudden ease that he brought to her. Will didn't respond to that, but merely took his empty plate, and washed it in the sink. Lizzie looked down at her food and saw that her plate was clear of anything as well.

"I was in company that doesn't agree well with me." He said quietly, hinting something that set Lizzie into annoyance in a sudden moment.

"Company like who?" She demanded as she walked to the sink with her plate. Will was surprised at her sudden hostility, and went into defense mode.

"Well, they're not exactly posh or anything." He said his voice dangerously quiet. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, thinking back to the night that they had danced. Her sister's performance, her father's interruption that was just as bad. It didn't help when she heard her mother shrieking to the world about Jane and Charlie. It was even worse that the next morning, he was on a stupid plane back to England! Was it because of her mother that it was ruined?

"But they're not savages! I am one of them, if you actually don't remember! Insulting them is not something that's smart!" She finally defended her family, temper flaring.

"It's not what I'm used to!" He raised his voice slightly. Lizzie cocked an eyebrow, and flared back, "Then I'm so sorry that they're human. I'm sorry that they make mistakes!"

Turning around, she saw that the door to the exit was right at the end of the hallway. She knew that though her headache hurt like someone had mugged her brutally, she had to get out of the stupid penthouse before she really lost it.

"Thanks for helping me so much, Mr. Darcy." She spat sarcastically, her voice dripping in false gratitude. "But I'm afraid I need to go. Have a nice time in your 'posh' society."

Will turned back to snap something at her, but found that she was already down the hall, and opening the door. She didn't turn around to see if he was going to stop her, and she didn't shut the door behind her. She kept walking until she reached the elevator, where it opened, and she stomped into the contraption where she stabbed the lobby floor button with gusto. It was then that her eyes flickered up to his with anger, and he stared right at her until the doors slid shut silently, and bore her away.

"Damn…" He muttered as he walked down the hall and slammed the door shut. Walking slowly back down the hall, he saw that she had accidentally left a small ribbon that he had noticed that had been tied around her wrist. It lay desolate and slumped near his jacket that had hint of lavender and amber, her light scent mixing with his.

"Of course." He muttered as he picked it up, the satin ribbon slipping through his fingers as he traced the small lines where the threads pulled together. With a curse, he set down on the couch, and counted slowly to ten.

"I always say things that upset her." He grumbled angrily to the TV that set against the wall, its black screen not lightening his mood whatsoever. Groaning in self pity in his own stupidity, he leaned back on the couch where she had slept.

"It's not like she's worth my time." He snapped as he tried to push her out of his mind. He let the ribbon slip through his fingers, and fall onto his shirt where it lay there, the light making it shine slightly. Picking up a book from his small table near the couch, he picked up at a random spot.

_And oh the breath of the summer maiden_

_The smiling lips of thine temptress fair_

_Skin smooth as satin_

_Eyes bright as the sun_

_Let me remember thine maiden_

_As love has let me begun_

_But boast no more of seduction_

_Boast no more of my love_

_I can't eat_

_I can't sleep_

_I can't live a true life_

_Without thine loving_

_Thine tempting_

_Thine angelic copy of the fairies above_

_I can't be real_

_I can't know life without her_

_So let me go about my existence_

_Forget her from my mind_

_To sleep_

_But dear god, not to dream._

Will slammed the book shut with a thick thud as he slammed it down onto the coffee table with annoyance. He couldn't even forget the girl in a damned book! If only he could find something to get his mind off of her, her fiery temper when he made a mistake. What book was that anyway? Picking it up, he saw that it was a book that had been copywrited but someone else had tried to make it their own. Now, his client was suing.

"Rubbish." He muttered as he turned over the stupid book, and turned on the TV. He turned it to a boring debate channel, where they discussed the war in Iraq with exuberance. Still, it would not do. So, Will did the only thing a man in his position could do. Leaning down, he grabbed his blanket from the floor, and turned over, wrapping himself up in it.

"To sleep," He mused lightly as he cursed the girl he loved to hate, "But dear god, not to dream…"

Not that he cared or anything.

----- -----

**Ok, so I so made up that lame little poem thingy that he read. Meh, I think it's terribly lame… but that's just me. Thanks for the reviews, I really do appreciate all of this help you guys have given me! Especially those who have given criticism! It helps me to try to better my bloody story! All you others though, if there's nothing to complain about, then by all means, don't complain, but if there's something to work on, please, let me know! You keep me running! **


	11. I have never

11

**Ahem, so thanks for the reviews, sorry that this last chapter was so short, I'll try to make this one moderately long, but not too long. You people are hard to please!!! But you know I love you guys! …Not like that you sickos!!!**

**It has come to my attention that I have neglected my silly little disclaimers. So here's one for you!  
**

**Disclaimer- Not mine! And even if I claimed it was, and you sued me, you'd get what, 10 mangas, a couple of CDs, aaaaaaand if I haven't eaten it yet, a box of oreos. Wow, don't you feel special. I mean, I'd so sue for oreos…**

**----- ------**

"I mean, can you believe him Charlotte? I thanked him, we were actually getting along just fine, but then he goes and has to bash my friends and my family like that?! I just don't get him!" Lizzie fumed lightly on the phone as she walked down the street, feeling slightly lost in the city. She didn't recognize anything that was around her, and it made her feel slightly off.

"Well, he is a pretty proud person Lizzie; I don't see why you're so surprised. I'm more curious as to how you ended up getting drunk in a closet…" Charlotte trailed off as she waited for an explanation.

"I told you, Charlotte, I can't remember anything that happened last night. I remember Brutus, and feeling awkward, but nothing else! It's like a blank slate for a memory!" She exclaimed as she received glares from some random people in the street. Sitting down, feeling dejected, she gave a small closing to her friend who was getting a call from her… beloved… fiancé. Looking at the small bus route map, Lizzie tried to see something she recognized, but once again, couldn't remember anything.

"Are you lost?" Someone asked with a slight smile in their voice. Lizzie glanced up sharply at the voice, and visibly blanched when she saw who it was. She was lost in a huge city, feeling like crap from her headache, and he just HAD to show up? After the fight in the kitchen, she didn't want to see anyone for the rest of the day.

"Please, I'm just trying to help!" He protested as she stood up, and began to walk away. He raced after her, and tugged at her sleeve, desperation in his voice.

"What do you want?" She hissed as she remembered everything that had happened between them; it only succeeded in making her angrier. He was silent for a second, before answering.

"I just wanted to talk to you!" That got a laugh right in his face.

"You came all the way over here just to talk?" She asked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"It wasn't that far! You can't say that you didn't want to see me!"

Lizzie turned slightly, and slapped him straight across the face, anger clear in her eyes.

"Obviously not… ok, I deserved that." He said haughtily as his head snapped to the left, his hand coming up to feel the stinging sensation on his cheek. "You have a nice hit Lizzie. But I've already felt you hit me before."

"What are you doing here, Wickham?" Lizzie asked angrily as she stared him straight in the face. After everything that had happened, Lizzie had hoped never to run into him again. Of course, life has different plans for her, doesn't it?

"I had a job offer here Lizzie, like many other people seeking a life." He muttered in a false dejected voice. Lizzie had to roll her eyes at this, and start to walk away again.

"You're lost in a city, and I can help. Are you not going to take my help because of pride or something?" He asked nastily as he saw her freeze at the word, "pride". He knew he had her there. Her dislike in the mere word of it would bring her to him, if only to unknowingly hand over information.

"I need to get to the hospital next to the assembly hall on 8th street." She muttered as she stuffed her hands into her pockets, and glared at him. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Very practical. You intern there?" Wickham asked as he tried not to do a happy dance at her trust in those who had suffered. He knew that she still believed that crack-pot story that he had given her about Will, and he knew he still had that over her head.

"Yeah, which way is it?" Lizzie jumped to the point, not wanting to spend too long in the company of Wickham. Looking around, she saw that he was attracting the curious stares of many females that were walking down the streets on both sides. She then noticed that the stares she was receiving were those of anger, and envy. Rolling her eyes at the nonsense, she flipped her wrist in the universal sign for "go on then!" and followed as he walked down the street, whistling.

Jack smiled despite her anger, and began to lead her towards her destination, trying to come up with a plan to get her to go get coffee. He basically needed to get information out about her sister, and even if he had to sink as low as prey that got loose, then so be it.

It as much to the disappointment that when he looked in sea green eyes, he saw only anger, and definitely no hurt. He started to give her a hug, but she stuck out a hand, and shook his briefly with a thank you. Walking up the steps, she turned back, and nodded her head civilly as she saw he was still standing there.

Jack was waiting for something. He was waiting for a smile, or a wave, or if he was lucky an invitation to see her later, but he was disappointed that when she turned back, she simply cocked an eyebrow, and gave a civil jerk of the neck that was supposed to be a nod. Gritting his teeth, Jack turned and walked down the street, heading towards a really nice club that would cheer him up.

Lord knew that in the state he would soon be in (drunk) he would need something to cheer him up when he would later awaken to find himself in a gutter and his wallet missing.

----- -----

Lizzie filed papers expertly, rolling her eyes at the "audacious" (as Brutus jokingly called it) job she had been given. It had been a couple of weeks since she had seen anything but file cabinets and coffee machines, and to tell the truth, Lizzie needed out. She never knew that interning could be as boring as, "Lizzie dear, would you get me a cup of coffee?" or, "Lizzie, I need copies of George Brown's sickness, nasty business isn't it?"

"I wouldn't know," Lizzie grumbled to herself thinking of the sick old man with an incurable disease, "I've only gotten the coffee for the people who work on it!"

"Better than having to smile when some bloke puts a well-done steak under your nose and ask why there's no pink in it. You Americans are bloody picky, you know that?" Someone asked with a laugh as Lizzie jumped. Whirling around, she saw to her surprise that Emma was standing right behind her, laughing at her shock.

"What are you doing here?" Lizzie demanded half-heartedly, trying not to burst into laughter at the bright smile on Emma's face. Lizzie was happy to see that she wasn't looking like someone had sucker punched her. She seemed to be moving on from Wickham just fine.

"When I got here with me brother, I remembered that you were here! I had to see if you wanted to go clubbing with me and me brother tonight! If you have any friends though, bring them along too." She added with a laugh as she gave off the location with her thick British accent carrying through the small snack room.

"Oh, that sounds like fun! Lizzie, you better go! Lord knows that you need the fun. Getting coffee for that man all day is no way to spend your life in NYC!" The secretary exclaimed as she looked up from her crossword on her break. She had given Lizzie a hard time at first, thinking she would be lazy and stupid, but Pattie warmed up to her when Lizzie knocked a man flat on his back when he kept trying to come onto Pattie in the middle of the day.

"I'll go if you go." Lizzie said flatly as she took a swig of her drink.

"That's delicious! I have to go though; Fitz is having a bloody fit about what to wear to 'impress La Bennett'!" Emma teased as she sauntered out, and unintentionally stopping a few of the younger doctor's hearts on the way out. Lizzie had to laugh right out at this, and turned to see a red in the face Pattie glowering.

"I can't go! I have lots to do, and I don't know what to wear, and I haven't gone to a club in about three or four years and-"

"And I can help you if you can haggle me out of work." Lizzie said deviously as she grabbed a few files, and jogged up the steps to the Rick's office.

"Lizzie dearest, what took you so long?" Rick exclaimed as he sat on his desk, swinging his legs like a child. With the few weeks she had been there, Lizzie had realized that Rick was nothing more than a child with a smart brain. He was the sort of man who could still have fun on a swing set, but then later go to a banquet and converse with prime ministers and outwit scholars.

"I was caught up in traffic at the coffee machine." Lizzie lied joyfully as she set down the documents, and went over to her laptop to catch up on some research he was having her do.

"Lizzie was always the studious type, wasn't she, Rick?" Asked a very familiar voice in the high backed chair on the other side of the desk. Lizzie rolled her eyes, already knowing that if she turned around, she would find Blaise Fitzwilliam sitting in Rick's chair.

"Oh yes, Lizzie's always reading or studying." Rick replied with a smirk gracing his cute features. Lizzie had to admit that yes, he was cute, but not exactly her type.

"And kicking Blaise for interrupting my work hours!" Lizzie exclaimed as she felt him hug her from around the back. Turning around, she laughed as his hair was standing on all ends.

"Want to explain your hair?" She asked with a smirk when she ruffled it playfully. Blaise laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Static electricity doll, shouldn't you know that by now?" He teased as he whirled her around, and set her in a chair. "Besides that point, I'm sure Emma's already found you and told you to come to the club tonight. I'm sure that Rick would love to give you the day off for it. Besides, all this work doesn't let you see the city lights of NYC like they should be seen."

"Someone else told me that just a few minutes ago…" Lizzie mused, pretending to have trouble with the decision. Fitz picked her up easily, and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and called back to Rick, saying, "We'll see you tomorrow dude!"

"This is highly undignified Blaise." Lizzie commented as he carried her through a couple of doors, and into the main lobby. Many people glanced over in alarm at seeing such strangeness in a hospital, but seeing that she wasn't screaming, or crying, no one made a comment. If anything, they saw that Lizzie was trying very hard not to laugh.

"TAXI!" Blaise yelled jovially as he hailed the ugly, yellow cab. Pulling over, the driver knew not to ask questions as Lizzie was swung unceremoniously into the Taxi, and another person scrambling in after her. Pattie ran out of the hospital laughing, and climbed in on the other side, to prevent escape.

"I guess this means that I'm not going to be able to help with the Dawson case I was looking foreword to." Lizzie sighed as the cab pulled off, and Fitz congratulated himself roundly to a laughing Pattie.

----- -----

"Will, guess who I saw!" Blaise exclaimed as he lolled on a chaise in the Penthouse. Will glanced up from his lunch, feeling slightly invaded by his cousin.

"I don't think I could guess." He droned lightly as he pulled out some papers from a briefcase, and sorted through them. Blaise pulled himself up from the chair, and swaggered to the table with excitement.

"I saw, La Bennett." He whispered into his cousin's ear. It was much embarrassment to Will that his cousin was in such close proximities, but when he whispered the words, he dropped the stack of papers, and glared at his cousin.

"You're kidding." He muttered as he turned red. Unconsciously, he reached into his jacket pocket, and felt the satin threads. Ever since it had been left, he had held it whenever he was shocked, aggravated, or clueless about something. Blaise took notice of this, and poked his cousin in the side playfully.

"What do you have in your pocket mate?" He asked as he poked him again. Will jammed his hand deeper down into his jacket, and grunted something under his breath.

"Excuse me, what was that?" Blaise asked with mock curiosity. He had seen his cousin a few times when he had come over in the past few days reach into his pocket, and grip something in his pocket as if it would help him figure something out. It made him curious, and when curious, Blaise was known to act like a small kid.

"LET ME SEE IT!" He cried as he tackled his cousin, and pulled the damned thing out of his pocket. "A ribbon?" He asked mockingly as he scrutinized it carefully, looking for something that would give the owner away. "A token from fair maiden?" He asked after a few awkward moments of silence. Will sat on the floor, looking defeated.

"It's Elizabeth's." He muttered, embarrassed. Fitz looked back at him, and smiled boyishly, once again congratulating himself on a job well done.

"You need to see her mate. Come to the club with me and Emma tonight. It'll be loads of fun!" He exclaimed brightly, but also with disguised mischief.

"I don't like dancing." Will stated stiffly as he pulled himself up from the floor, feeling more embarrassed than angry or annoyed.

"Oh, come on mate! Just tonight, you really need to get out. Going to banquets is not the way to have fun! I will forever tease you if you don't!" Blaise teased lightly, but Will knew his cousin better, and knew that if he didn't go, he would forever be teased about his small fancy.

Now that Will hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks, Will was sure that he could curb his little feelings about her. Time away from Lizzie Bennett let Will realize all of the reason why he shouldn't be with her. Her status, her class, her personality, her temper, her family, her money, and her education was something lacking, and whenever she wasn't around to muddle his senses with her smell of Lavender, and amber, (but sometimes a hint of vanilla) he could point this out. Yes, Lizzie Bennett was as good as gone.

He was even able to spend Christmas with his sister, and his cousins. That was fun, and that was the reason why his cousin was here. Though, with his always bantering about Lizzie Bennett, Will had wished he had been able to hold his fortitude against his little crush.

"Tomorrow night is New Year's eve." Blaise commented with a smug air as he sat up, and began to eat Will's food.

"So?"

"I was thinking we should go and do something."

"Blaise, I'm not in the mood to gallivant across NYC just because it's new years."

"Who says gallivant anymore?"

"Blaise…!!"

"I'm just saying, who says gallivant anymore?"

"Where did you see her?"

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Blaise laughed as he saw his cousin's face considerably darken in annoyance. Will grumbled something incoherent, but flicked a wrist, the universal sign that meant, "go on…"

"At the hospital. I believe she was going to work harder at her job, just for the hell of it." He answered with a sparkle in his features. Will raised an eyebrow, but refused to be drawn into the trap his cousin had set. All he managed to respond with was an, "interesting, but irrelevant." And then turned pointedly back to his work, where he attempted to ignore his cousin's proddings.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"Drink's on me!" Emma laughed as she passed a margarita towards a dancing Lizzie. Laughing, Lizzie took it, but sipped slowly, remembering how she unfortunately didn't remember anything from the last time she drank. She wasn't in the mood to go through that again. Emma took note of this when Lizzie had told her, and then ordered a water to flush it out of her system faster.

40 Watt Club was a high class club that attracted the richer parties of people, and had the best sound system anyone could ask for. Bass vibrated from built in speakers underneath the floor boards that were designed like a cork board; tiny holes where the sound could escape through. Everything was illuminated by neon blue lights, and the DJ stand was set right next to the dance floor, but elevated to the second story where the reservations were.

"Where's Fitz?" Lizzie asked as Emma came back with a screwdriver (orange juice and vodka). Emma merely smiled in that all knowing sort of way, and shrugged, refusing to answer. Pattie slipped between them, and swayed her hips to the beat, laughing the whole time. It had been interesting to get the stern 25 year old woman into dancing clothes, and makeup, but when it happened, the tired looking secretary transformed into a beauty. She also let herself chill out a little bit, and had already gotten someone's number.

"We have enough guys Lizzie, why are you worrying about dear old Fitzy?" Pattie asked as a guy she knew barely pulled her closer to dance. Lizzie had to keep quiet about that; she didn't want Emma to know she liked her brother slightly more than a friend.

Someone tapped on her shoulder, and Lizzie turned around. A cute skinny guy was looking at her hopefully, and was asking her something. The music, however, was too loud, and all she got out of his question was "Would-"

"Sorry, what?" She asked loudly as she scrutinized him. Emma gave thumbs down, and Pattie gave thumbs down with a wrinkle of her nose. A double thumbs down meant to ditch him, fast. Groaning something inaudible, Lizzie let the push and pulls of the throng of dancers separate her from the guy in record time. Laughing, she raised her hands up over her head, and let the rhythm take over.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"Come on Will, let's actually look for my sister!" Fitz exclaimed as he searched the crowd for Emma, Pattie, or Lizzie. So far, his search had been futile, and the guy he had brought for his sister had disappeared into the crowd, leaving him guilty, and agitated.

"For the last bloody time Fitz, I'm looking for your sister!" Will snapped as he nervously straightened his tie. He was dressed simply, a Calvin Klein button up shirt, jeans, and a silk tie. His hair was – was, and always will be- a thick, dark mess on his head, and he hadn't bothered to fix that. He was nervous at the thought of seeing her again. To be honest, his thoughts of forgetting her were very hard to think when he was looking for Lizzie and not Blaise' sister like he said he was.

"Will! I'm appalled! You haven't said anything remotely close to your heritage in so long; I was beginning to wonder where my British cousin had run off to! But cursing isn't a good thing to do Willy, cursing is not something to do."

"Blaise, will you do one thing for me?"

"Yes, what?"

"Shut up."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"Would you like to dance with me?" A very attractive 24 year old asked Lizzie as she downed a glass of water like a shot. Glancing over at Emma and Pattie, they both gave double thumbs ups, and Emma licked her lips suggestively. Groaning at her weird friend's tendencies to do weird things, Lizzie accepted, and walked to the thrumming dance floor with the guy.

"So, what's your name?" He asked as he leaned right next to her ear so she could hear him.

"Lizzie, what's yours?"

"Well, I'm Blaise Fitzwilliam, and it's a pleasure to meet you!" Someone interrupted with a tone that meant quite clearly, "Back off." The guy stood back immediately, and raised his hands in defeat. Grinning evilly, Fitz pulled Lizzie close, as the dance turned slow.

"How've you been since the time I abducted you?" He asked as he saw her stare at him, shock still on her features. He tried to keep a straight face as she scrutinized him, looking for any sign of mischief, but cooled considerably as he saw her face lighten when she deemed him worthy.

"I've been fine, what are you doing?" She cried as he twirled her around and around until they were off of the dance floor, and towards the upper stairs to the reserved sections.

"We're going on a triple date." He said simply. Lizzie looked back incredulously to see Pattie, Emma, some guy she didn't know, and Will Darcy. They were following slowly, trying to not bump into other people as they walked, and Lizzie turned furiously back to Fitz to see him grinning boyishly at her.

"Who's paired with whom?" She hissed as she was twirled into a booth. Fitz grinned, and shrugged, trying to feign innocence. Lizzie grabbed him by his tie, and pulled him very, very close.

"You'll tell me, or I'll strangle you." She threatened as she glared into his sparkling eyes. His grin was gone, and replaced with mock terror as he observed the situation with interest.

"Emma is with Peter, Will is with Pattie, and I'm with you." He said simply as he waited for himself to be relinquished. Glaring at the thought of being near Will, Lizzie relinquished her hold on his tie, and leaned back into her seat for a more comfortable position. Fitz pulled himself closer to her, and watched with amusement as the relaxed look she used to have slowly transformed into someone who had just been sentenced to death row.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"What's she doing here?" Will asked angrily as he glared at the small person slumped in the seat. Emma smirked as she pulled her cousin, Pattie, and her date along through the throng of people dancing.

"She's here as Fitz's date." She replied with as much of a straight face as possible when she could see the mixed emotions on Will's face. After being introduced to his date, Pattie, he had tried to be very civil, and nice, but Emma knew that though he hated dancing, and supposedly hated Lizzie, he was very happy to be where she was. As she linked arms with her date, Emma walked up the steps towards her brother to see him pulled dangerously close to Lizzie by the silk tie Emma had gotten him for Christmas.

Smothering a smirk at the disbelief etching Will's face when he saw the small act, Emma led them up civilly to see Lizzie's face set into a stony grimace, like a soldier who was being sent to war.

"That tie was a gift from me. I'd rather it not be torn because Fitzy can't control himself." Emma teased to try to lighten the mood when she saw Lizzie and Will had a small staring match between themselves. Pattie lagged behind, a secretive smile playing across her face.

"Oh, sorry Emma, your brother was just explaining some stuff to me." Lizzie laughed as she finally tore her gaze away from Will's and smiled warmly at her friend. Emma sprang into her seat, and pulled Peter right next to her, winking at Pattie when she did so. Will let Pattie slide in before he slipped in behind her, a grim stare stopping people from thinking he was happy to be where he was.

"Now this is nice. Sound proof walls to quiet down that blasted music, and drinks all around!" Blaise cried out jubilantly as he tried to lighten the mood. The group melted down from their awkward phase, and began to talk lightly, all the while sending drinks around, and trying to ignore the fact that both Lizzie and Will stayed relatively silent.

The night went quickly as they talked, and eventually, a drinking game was brought into the conversation.

"The name of the game is, 'have you never'. The rules are simple, someone says something that they've never done, and if you've done it, you take a shot." Pattie declared, much to the discomfort of Will. He didn't particularly like his date, but seeing as it was one of Lizzie's friends, he tried to stick to it, and ignore the annoyance that struck him every time she said something.

"Ok, I'll start! I've never slapped someone in my entire life." Pattie announced with a laugh. Lizzie and Emma raised their glasses, and downed them, Lizzie then taking a drink of water. She didn't want to get completely wasted.

"I've never went mountain biking." Emma exclaimed lamely, and most of the group took a drink, rolling their eyes at the suddenly sheepish girl.

"I have never interned." Blaise said to beat his sister at lame statements. Will and Lizzie took a drink.

"I've never walked out on a person who was trying to show kindness." Will stated in low tones as he tried to goad Lizzie into talking. He figured that the only way to actually talk to her was argument; that was when she truly came out and captivated him. No one else could hold their own in an argument against Will. Lizzie took a drink with a flourish and winked at Emma.

"You'll find that he thinks horribly of me because I stood up for my friends and family." Lizzie informed Emma, not really talking to just her, but making it seem that way.

"I'm not comfortable with certain company." He grumbled as he saw both of his cousins perk up at her statement.

"You made that quite clear. I've never spoken ill of someone because of their social status."

Will took a drink. Emma and Fitz tried to stifle laughs, and Peter and Pattie made eyes at each other, ignoring present company completely. Lizzie smirked triumphantly.

"I've never been infatuated with a woman before." Fitz said after a moment of silence. Lizzie glared at him, waiting for someone to take a drink, but was very surprised when Will, who was staring right at her, took a drink with a raised eyebrow.

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**Ok people, this was (you all have to admit) a very lame chapter. It was more of filler until I can get to the good part. I was trying to slow it down a bit, because I have a tendency to speed through things too fast, but now I'm taking it too slow, and I'm going to speed it up a bit. You see that button below this bold print? The purplish bluish one? Yeah, you know you want to press it, and submit a review! **


	12. New Year

**YAY! Now, we get somewhere interesting. You have no idea how hard that chapter was to write. There was nothing to talk about in it, and I was facing writer's block. But now that I've climbed over that little problem, let's get rolling! Also, I'm working on creating another story for after this one. NOT a sequel, but a completely different story with a completely different plot! You'll have to read that one when I post it! It's called, **_**Of Gucci and Wall-mart.**_

**Also, it's come to my attention that I've blatantly disregarded my grammar and punctuation. Mmk people, **_**I'm apologizing for any grammar mistakes in advance!**_** I check them all, but I hope no one expects perfection. I'm sorry if you guys love grammar, and I'm totally thrashing it or something, but I can't stop writing this story just because of it, not when I'm more than half way through with it. Besides, what in the world is a beta? I'm 14 people! Don't expect me to know things!!!**

**Mmk, and also, if you're going to review, and you're going to inform me that I suck then (though this may be asking a whole lot of you people) if you would explain why I, suck so much, then it would be able to clear up the very confused look on my face. And it would let me know why I suck so much, so I could better myself for chapters, and stories to come. Thank you for your wonderful review, it really helped me. It made my day, in fact. **

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Lizzie was eating breakfast with her aunt and uncle when they were asking about Jane.

"How's she been?" Her aunt Gardiner asked worriedly as she buttered her pop tarts carefully. Lizzie glanced up from her cereal, Captain Crunch, and winced visibly.

"She moped for a little more than a month before she snapped." She muttered, feeling horrible as she realized that in the couple of weeks she had been in NYC, she hadn't called her sister at all. "After that, she threw herself into the dating world. I think she was hoping for someone else to capture her heart like he did."

"Anyone so far?" Her aunt prodded gently.

"None. They've all been bounce backs. Now, she's in Manhattan interning for some lady." Her aunt Gardiner was really worried about this little ounce of information.

"Charles Bingley of the Law firm with William Darcy?" Her aunt asked cautiously. Lizzie nodded slowly, wondering where her aunt was getting at.

"He's in Manhattan, checking in for their law firm there. There was a scandal with one of the lawyers there trying to take money from the vault at the bank."

"How much?" Her Uncle Gardiner asked as he flipped his paper over, handing Lizzie the comics.

"Ten thousand for him, and another ten for his girlfriend." Her aunt replied as she glanced at a frozen Lizzie. Lizzie had the day off, so she had been planning to shop for some clothes, but now she wanted to call her sister.

Walking out of the house, she grabbed her cell phone, and her I-Pod, and started out on a jog towards the small park nearby her aunt's house. It wasn't like the one by her apartment, but it suited her exercise. All Lizzie needed was some time to think, and jogging had always suited her just fine.

First things first though; Lizzie called her sister. The phone buzzed in her ear as she took the walk where there were a lot of trees next to the path, and she waited until her sister's light and friendly voice answered happily, "Lizzie, I was waiting for you to call!"

"Jane, how've you been?" Lizzie asked with masked worry. Jane laughed, and assured her sister that everything was fine, and that she didn't need to worry.

"I'm older than you Lizzie, I can take care of myself!" said she teasingly as Lizzie jogged slowly, trying not to drop either electronic devices that she was juggling in her hands.

"Why would I worry? Who said I was worrying?" Lizzie asked, much to the amusement of her sister.

"Lizzie, I know you almost as well as you do. There's nothing to worry about, I'm more concerned about getting to work without getting lost!" Jane exclaimed. There was a slight silence where Lizzie waited patiently for her sister to spill her dirty little secret that she knew Jane was hiding.

Lizzie," Jane whispered, and her voice cracked. "I saw… I saw Ch-Charlie." Lizzie stopped jogging altogether, and raised an eyebrow in shock. She had expected Jane seeing him at least once, but now that it was confirmed, it hit her all the more harder. She had never felt more pity for her sister than she did right then, and it hurt that the time Jane needed her the most, she wasn't there to comfort her.

"How'd it go? How'd it happen?" Lizzie asked sympathetically as she started walking so she could steady the guilt she felt. Jane laughed slightly, and just that noise let Lizzie know that it had affected her more than she cared to say it did.

"I saw him in the street. I swear though, it was nothing big. I hardly recognized him, Manhattan is a really large city, and everything's so diverting." Jane said absentmindedly. Lizzie scoffed, but her sister pressed the matter.

"It's true! I swear to you! I'm as over him as anyone could ever be over someone. If I saw him again, I wouldn't feel anything but gratitude. If you don't die from it, it makes you stronger, doesn't it? Besides, it's better to have loved and lost then never loved at all." Jane said lightly when she realized she couldn't hide anything from her sister, but was still trying. _Still, _Jane thought miserably, _I wish that I had never loved at all._ Lizzie sighed, but decided to let Jane get away from hiding her feelings… for now.

"But, I have to get back in there! There's a small child who likes eating the clay, but… No Tucker, you cant' eat that! Got to go Lizzie, I love you!" Jane exclaimed, and the phone went to the dial tone after a few moments. Grumbling slightly at her sister getting out of the conversation, Lizzie burst into a fast paced jog through the small trail, and burst into dog walk part of the park.

If Jane had seen Charlie, Lizzie knew that her sister had probably spent at least an hour wallowing (if you don't know what that is, message me, and I'll explain it to you.) and then had a small venting session before going back outdoors. Jane was more passive aggressive than other people, and would go out of her way to avoid someone because she hated confrontations. Taking this to mind, Lizzie wanted nothing more than to jump in the rental car she had, and drive to her sister to comfort her. Grumbling beside herself, Lizzie upped the speed, and vented her emotion while she ran.

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"Oh, come one, it wasn't that bad!" Blaise exclaimed as Will grumbled angrily as he cooked breakfast. The night before hadn't ended well, and Will was still beating himself up about it. Emma had tried to console him; she said that Lizzie wouldn't harbor resentment about it, but nothing they said made his words any better.

_"So, you're basically saying that because of a low social status, you've spoken ill of people?" Lizzie asked after she had gotten past the sudden flutterings in her stomach. Will merely leaned back, and laughed. _

_"Don't tell me that you've never spoken ill of someone because they were rich. You're prejudice against others based solely on your first meetings of them! You see one rich man, and assume the others are the exact same." Will retorted with hint of anger flashing in his eyes. Lizzie laughed right out, much to the amusement of Blaise and Emma. _

_"I don't think badly of Emma, and even if this is surprising, I don't think too badly of Blaise either." Lizzie said as she took a drink of her water. She was beginning to get annoyed with the way Will kept looking at her, but was too proud to back down and look away just yet. _

_"I'm not rich!" Blaise helped his cousin with his statement, but Emma butted in. _

_"You are too, you idiot of a brother. If I'm rich, you're rich, and I'm bloody well rich as it is." She joked as Lizzie winked at her good-naturedly. Will glared at both of his cousins, but kept going on. _

_"Other then these two blokes, you can't say you see anyone who is very wealthy is in your limelight. Honestly, you probably think the whole lot of us is stubborn, stuck up fools." _

_"Apart from Blaise, Emma, and Charles Bingley, yes, I do." Lizzie confessed happily, "And I'm not too proud to say it! Nor am I embarrassed either!." _

_"What about Caroline Bingley?" Emma asked with a smirk as she downed a shot. Blaise scooted the tray of alcohol away from his sister, not wanting her to get drunk. _

_"I don't know, how about we ask Will? He seems to be on quite good terms with her." Lizzie sneered as she saw him visibly pale at the mention of the snake. Lizzie hadn't heard anything about or from Caroline ever since they had up and left, but she wanted to see the reaction of bringing the family up. She wasn't disappointed. _

_"Let me assure you, our good terms come from my being friends with Charles." Will snapped stiffly as he tugged on his collar, hating the glint in Lizzie's eye._

_"And how is Charlie doing these days? I haven't heard from him in awhile."_

_"He's perfectly fine, I assure you. Couldn't be happier, in fact." He added, but then regretted it the moment he saw Lizzie's face turn from mischief to anger in a split second. What had he said? All too soon, he realized that by tacking that sentence on, he remembered the confession Lizzie had told him in the wine closet about Jane suffering for a little more than a month. By saying that Charlie was happier, it implied that Charlie was the bad guy who had played her sister, and not the other way around. _

_"I'm afraid I have to go. It's getting late, after all." Lizzie exclaimed stiffly as she stood up, interrupting Pattie's consistent stare at Peter, who was staring straight back in an infatuated sort of way. _

_"We'll keep in touch." Emma said brightly as she scooted out of the way to let Lizzie by. Smiling warmly at Emma, Pattie, and Blaise, Lizzie scowled at Will before leaving gracefully, but quickly. _

"It makes it seem as though Charlie's a horrible person." Will grumbled as he cleared the table with a swift anger. Blaise protested as his half eaten omelets was taken and scraped to the trash can, and his face fell considerably when he saw a greasy package of bacon fat tossed on top of his omelet. Guess he couldn't save it from the trash can now. What a waste of a perfect breakfast.

"Charlie's too nice for his own good." Blaise commented as he finally got up to pour himself some orange juice.

"Yes, this means that he didn't play her sister!" Will stated in annoyance as he turned the dishwasher on, and leaned against the counter.

"But you played her for him." Blaise said quietly as he adjusted his tie, carefully avoiding necessary eye contact with his cousin. Will was openly seething as he glared daggers at his cousin, daring him to say anything else.

"I… it- it was for his own good!" Will suddenly blustered as he got up, and paced furiously; he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Was it for his own good or for your own good?" Blaise asked hesitantly. Will stopped pacing, and glared straight out at his cousin, who returned the look evenly, but not in anger.

"She was playing him! And besides, she's not good enough for-"

"HIM? For god's sake man, you're going after her sister, and you're saying she's not good enough for him! Your income far exceeds his, and you're going after Lizzie, who's the sister of the woman who's not good enough for HIM?" Blaise snapped angrily as he downed his orange juice. For once, Will was silent. Blaise gave a quiet, grave chuckle as he turned and walked out of the room.

"I rest my case." He said simply as he walked down the hall and out of the door like someone else not too long ago. Will ground his teeth in frustration, and ran a hand through his hair. Had he really ruined her life? Had he made it seem as if Charlie was a heartless man who preyed on innocent women?

Grumbling, he shrugged on his jacket, and grabbed his cell phone as he left. He walked down the stairs, not wanting to take the elevator, and got down to the lobby in record time.

"Going somewhere, sir?" The lobby man asked kindly as he walked out quickly, grumbling under his breath as he did so.

"Yes, no need for the limo, I'm walking."

"W-walking, sir?" The man asked weakly as he saw the Italian suit he had just picked up from dry cleaning. Mr. Darcy didn't bother to give an answer, and merely kept walking, taking care to try and find someplace that would let him think properly.

Was it wrong to separate Charlie from Jane? Probably not (in his opinion) but to then go after her sister would probably be bad in the situation. Charlie had no idea that Will liked Lizzie at all. Of course, thinking about it, why did he like Lizzie anyway?

"Bad taste in clothes, low connections, low rank, silly sisters, stoned father, insane mother, and barely any sense of a business world." He muttered as he walked down the street. "She also loves to argue with me. What woman in their right mind would argue with me? Lizzie Bennett, that's who."

But was Lizzie Bennett in her right mind? Seeing her mother, Will doubted that at first, but then concluded that no one so pretty (perhaps except Caroline Bingley) could be as insane as Lizzie's mother.

How was Charlie, anyway? Was he still moping about in that annoying way, and refusing to ask people out because he didn't want to move on? Will had been worried at first; Charlie refused to get out of his own room to bathe. Sooner or later, he had ventured out, but hadn't dared to actually go on a date for fear of losing the memory of Jane Bennett.

"The way he goes on about her it would be a cold day in hell when he forgets her." Will grumbled as he suddenly glanced up, and he stared in wonder at where he was. It was a semi-nice neighborhood, with two story houses lined next to each other in red brick paint. More old fashioned, but Will had to say that the architect knew what he was doing when he designed the neighborhood.

Looking around and wondering how he had gotten there, Will spied a park nearby, and walked over to it, pulling out his cell phone as he did so.

"Call Charles Bingley." He said into his blue tooth as he situated himself.

"Charlie Chaplin, how may I help you?" Someone asked dully as he heard the unmistakable sound of Caroline in the background, screeching.

"What would you do if I was a CEO, and had heard you call yourself Charlie Chaplin? Do you think you would be taken seriously or professionally?" Will barked as he heard Charlie yell in the background, "CAROLINE, SHYADDUP OR LEAVE!"

"I have caller ID, Will." Charlie muttered with a laugh as Will had to give into that. Laughing, Will asked how his friend was, and listened as Charlie made some excuse or another.

"I'm perfectly fine, Will. I haven't realized how diverting Manhattan could be! Even if you run into certain people… er, it doesn't matter! You can easily find something else to take your attention." Charlie stumbled slightly on his words when he said, "certain people," and Will called attention to it immediately.

"Certain people, Charles? Who did you run into?" Will asked as he felt the chilled breeze of New Year's Eve whistle through the trees nearby.

"Oh, you know… just old friends." Charlie blanched when he heard Will snort in disbelief.

"I ran into Jane." Charlie rushed the words out quickly, and Will went cold, dead silent.

"When, and where?" He asked angrily.

"We were coming back from Caroline shopping, and she looked so pretty… no, she was an angel! But she seemed so sad, Will, did I hurt her?" Charlie asked with remorse creeping into his voice as he remembered the encounter.

"Of course you didn't! She was the one trying to get your money, why would she be sad?" Will snapped as he heard his friend's words. He knew Charlie was most likely going to try to run into her again, and see how she was doing. Fat chance of that, Jane had always seemed a closed book to Will.

"The deepest emotion I've ever seen from her is sadness. She really seems torn up about something." Charlie muttered thoughtfully. Will ground his teeth silently and fumed. He tried to think up something to divert his friend from thinking about that Jane girl too much, and get him from going to find her.

"She's merely upset that her plan has failed. By the way, Charlie, Blaise and Emma are in town with me right now. They came for Christmas." Charlie was about to comment on Will's first comment when he thought better of it, and commented on the last part. He knew that if he was going to talk about Jane, it couldn't be around Caroline, or Will. If it was around either of them, or any acquaintances of theirs, they warned Will and Caroline about it. No, it was better to talk about her to a couple of his friends who hadn't been in the situation, and could easily help. _I know it's better to have loved and lost,_ he thought miserably as he leaned back into his chair. _But I wish that I had never loved at all. _

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Will hung up a few more minutes later; feeling slightly better as he knew that he had momentarily distracted Charlie from discussing Jane. It was something that bothered him; the way that Charlie kept bringing her up. It made him feel like Charlie was ready to take her back just as long as she showed more feeling. With a groan, he felt his phone vibrate, and he picked it up lazily with a slurred, "Hello?"

"Don't tell me you're drunk."

"Blaise, what you do you want?" Will snapped irritably as he adjusted his seating arrangements; waiting to judge his cousin's mood.

"So angry dear cousin? I thought you wanted to talk to me!" Blaise exclaimed. Will rolled his eyes as his cousin's idiocy, but made no comment on it. That was the thing about Blaise. After having a dramatic exit after an argument (Blaise wouldn't stick around after an argument, and also thought that an exit was very fun to make) he would come back sooner or later and not have to talk about it.

"Charlie saw Jane." He commented to Blaise. Blaise went quiet, and thought about it.

"How's she been taking it?"

"Lizzie told me, accidentally of course, that she had moped about for about a month before going outside." Will said. He did feel slightly bad about that, but his friend's safety from money hunters far exceeded his pity to the poor.

"You ever going to tell Lizzie that it was you who made Charlie leave her?" Blaise asked into the awkward silence. Will shifted uncomfortably before answering. While he was about to answer, he saw one of the most stunning things in the world running his way. She was gorgeous, simply said. She was slightly tanned, even in the winter, and even with the chilled air, she wore knee high shorts, and a short sleeve workout shirt. Her curly hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, but Will could still tell that her dark brown hair was long. Her eyes though, they seemed to change color with the way the light hit them.

And then it hit him. That was Lizzie Bennett! _Damn, _he cursed to himself, _The only person I see that makes me stop in mid-sentence is her!_ She had her I-Pod earphones on, and was clearly enjoying the scenery as much as he was enjoying her. He could hear his cousin on the phone trying to get his attention, but the only thing that caught his eye was the person running towards him.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Lizzie took on a brisk jog, enjoying the way the air hit her face, and the cool wind blew her hair back slightly. Though it was almost New Year's, it hadn't really snowed yet in New York, and Lizzie hoped that it would snow soon. She loved snow.

As she took around a corner, she could see a few kids playing around, and a man sitting on a bench. He was really cute; with thick black hair that stood out as if he had run his hands through it many times. If it was one thing that Lizzie liked about guys; it was their hair. Their hair had to be nice, or she wouldn't like them.

Turning up her music a little bit louder, she picked up the pace, noticing that the guy in question was staring at her. He held a cell phone in his hand, but he wasn't talking into it. He only had eyes for her. Feeling flattered, but slightly creeped out as well, Lizzie picked up the pace more so that she could get by him faster. As she passed though, she turned her head the other way, but distinctly heard,

"No, I'm not going to tell her. Some things are better left unsaid. Besides, with the way you keep coming onto her, how am I supposed to have any chance?"

Lizzie had to laugh at this, and unbeknownst to her, the guy heard her laugh. His face turned red, and he promptly hung up the phone. Lizzie kept running, and took the turn that would lead her to her family's house, and took a chilled breath.

----- ----- ------ ----- -----

"No, I'm not going to tell her. Some things are better left unsaid. Besides, with the way you keep coming onto her, how am I supposed to have any chance?" Will snapped as he saw her pass by him. He could distinctly smell lavender and amber, but dewed grass as well. It was a nice smell, but when he heard her laugh as she ran past, he realized that she hadn't recognized him, but was laughing at what he had said. Turning slightly red in embarrassment, he hung his cell phone up, and leaned back.

He knew she hadn't recognized him because if she had, the usual sardonic eyebrow would have been raised, and she would have most likely stopped and said something snide. At least, that's what he had hoped. Will hoped that if she had recognized him, she would have stopped and said at least something. He knew that his cousin would demand to know why he had been hung up on, but wasn't at present ready to call back and apologize. With a groan, he realized that he was going to most likely spend the New Year's with either a teasing Blaise and Emma, or no one.

Will took a deep breath as he realized that he wanted to spend New Year's time with Elizabeth Bennett. There, he admitted it.

"Give it up man; she doesn't even realize you like her!" He growled angrily as he stood up promptly, and strolled along the walkway. But why didn't she? Just the night before, he had implied that he liked her! Hell, he had implied that he was infatuated! But she had only changed the subject, deeming his action nothing deep enough to pry into! Did she think that he was joking?

But maybe he was delving too much into her actions. Will sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration, and cursed himself for thinking of her too much. It was not as if she read into his actions.

But what would happen –he thought with a stern set jaw- if she found out he liked her? Would she laugh? Would she go out with him if he asked her? Would she marry him if he-

"What the hell?!" He all but shouted as he realized where his thoughts were leading. A small group of teenagers snickered as they saw the strange "dude" freaking out in the middle of the walk. The girls looked at him appreciatively, and one tried to say something to him. That is, until her boyfriend grabbed her by the waist, and drug her away possessively.

Why would his thoughts lead him to that? What did he do to deserve his once organized thoughts and plans suddenly ripped up and thrown away by one girl who didn't even realize she was doing it? Was god trying to tell him something, or was the devil himself messing with a mere mortal's life? Whatever it was, Will resolved to change his ways, and avoid Miss Bennett at all costs.

Not that he cared or anything.

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Lizzie realized around 9:00 that she would be spending New Year's alone. Her aunt and uncle went out to dinner, and a babysitter had already been arranged.

"That way you can enjoy the New Year dear." Her aunt had said with a smile as she put on her coat, kissed her niece and walked out of the house gracefully. Lizzie stared after her aunt and uncle before deciding that she couldn't stay in the house all night. That would be considered blasphemy, especially on a night like this one!

The stars (or what could be seen of them) were actually standing out more than usual, and the moon brightly stood out against the dark sky. The wind from earlier that day had blown any dreary clouds that might have threatened snow, and it left a crisp feeling in the air. Lizzie took a deep breath as she plowed through the small traffic to the bars. There was one bar that appealed to her, and Lizzie stepped into the place with a feeling of homecoming. Her friends had owned a bar similar to this one, and seeing the dingy TV's where the game was on let much of the loneliness dissipate.

Settling down, Lizzie ordered a Glass Tower (vodka drink) as the guy next to her ordered a Blood on the Sand. The place was crowded with sports fans, and lonely looking people, and Lizzie let herself chill out as she took a sip of her drink. Remembering the last time she had gotten drunk, Lizzie then ordered a glass of water to go along with her drink. No need to wake up on someone else's couch with them then fixing her pancakes.

"I'll have a Hurricane (A/N- rum drink) and give the lady another one of her drinks." A deeper baritone voice said as someone took the place next to her. He was cute in a strange sort of way. His smile was too wide for Lizzie's taste. It was as if he couldn't bear to let himself relax. His eyes darted to the door, to the TV set, to the floor, to her, to the drinks; he was certainly jittery.

"No, I'm fine." Lizzie protested as the bartender pressed a drink to her. The guy winked at her, and even his wink seemed fishy. The guy on her other side was grunting into his drink, and looked at her angrily when she pushed hers back.

"It's New Year's Eve." The fishy man commented lightly as he saw her take a drink of her water, and she then held it in her hands.

"Yes, you're perceptive, aren't you?" She asked with a sardonic grin. She knew that Will would have chuckled at that-

Why was she thinking of Will Darcy anyway?

"Yes…" His voice trailed off as he reached a hand to the small of her back carefully. Feeling his hand on her, Lizzie shot board straight, and pushed him away from her angrily. Grinning, the fishy man shrugged off the rejection, and sidled slowly away. Getting up quickly, Lizzie departed from the bar suddenly very out of spirits. Why did perverts have to go and ruin a comfortable evening like that?

Lost in her thoughts, Lizzie didn't hear someone following her in the darkness of the evening. She took a small turn and walked towards the park where couples sat together and watched the stars. She saw a small candy store next to the park, and sidled towards it, still thirsty.

Walking inside, Lizzie's eyes roamed the sodas, slushies, water, and was finally happy to see that they had coffee. Feeling slightly better (on a night like this, Lizzie was easy to please) she paid, and walked out of the store.

Walking around the side of the store, Lizzie felt a sickening agony sweep over her when she suddenly felt two strong arms grab her by the neck, and slam her into the wall.

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**MMk, there's another cliffy for you! Don't kill me, and I'm sorry it has taken so long to update!!! My father saw my sad lethargic attitude, and decided that chores would help me get happy… **

**So now, we have a Lizzie in danger! What will happen?? Who will save her?? Will **

**her coffee get spilled??? **

**You know, the only way to find out would be to-**

**Yes, you took the words right out of my mouth. That button down there? Yes, press it. The author asks you!! I 3 you guys!!  
**


	13. And suddenly it doesn't!

**Okee, thanks for all of the reviews, I really do appreciate you guys!! Sorry for any anger! No, Lizzie doesn't die… that would defeat the purpose of the story… anywho…**

**Yes, I am 14 years old. And thanks to those who've said that I've improved on writing! You guys are sooo nice! Sorry, gushing in happiness right there. **

**And no, Collins doesn't enter into the story again for a few more chapters. I haven't decided how I want him to enter though. Maybe dramatic… or possibly a boring entrance to match a boring man. Give me ideas, ok?**

**And anyone who would like to be a Beta for me, message me and let me know! I don't want people to accidentally mess over the English language because I'm mediocre at it. So, send me a line, and we will discuss. **

**AAAnd, (I know you're hating the ands…) thanks for the grammar thing with the chic and stuff. I didn't know how to spell it, so when I typed in sheik and it came out ok, I thought that that was the right word! sorry!!**

**Disclaimer- Who wants a few CD's and mangas anyway???? We all know that this story could never really be mine… : ( **

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Will couldn't stand the thought of his cousin teasing him anymore about that damned Elizabeth Bennett.

_"Tonight would be a good night to just go up to her, and simply grab her face securely… Will dearest, are you watching? You need to take notes…" His voice faded as he saw his cousin's face turn considerably red. Grumbling angrily, Will stood up from his attempted relaxing read, and grabbing his jacket, he stormed out of his penthouse. Emma waltzed in with a smile. _

_"What's up Will's ass?" She asked quizzically. Blaise smothered a grin, and mouthed, "La Bennett." _

_"Tonight would be a good night to just go up to her, and simply grab her face securely… Blaise, what's so funny?" Blaise was laughing too hard to tell his sister that that had been his exact words to his cousin. _

Groaning as he walked to his car, Will reached into his pocket, and felt the threadbare ribbon. It had been in his jacket pocket for some time now, and whenever he had felt the least bit too attracted to Elizabeth Bennett, he reached in his pocket, and felt the cheap ribbon as a reminder that he could get along without her.

His Volvo was more of a comfort car than something flashy. Sure, it was build for more speed than the standard car, but the interior simply screamed relaxation.

He pulled past the bigger crowds of people, and sped idly down the small street to anywhere. He was simply trying to clear his thoughts. Instantly, a picture of a very pretty park in the early winter morning hit his mind squarely. Taking a few more turns, Will guided his car smoothly along the pavement. As he took the last turn to stop near the park, his headlights lit up a disturbing sight for him. One woman was cornered by two nasty men, and one of the men was holding her against the wall by choking her. Anger bubbled against the back of his throat as his headlights revealed the woman to be the infamous Elizabeth Bennett.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Though it seemed horribly cartoonist, Lizzie had to admit through her pain that stars really did dance along her vision, and she felt the world spinning beneath her. She could barely see; it was as if she was looking through a tunnel with bright lights at the end.

_But I can't be dying,_ She vaguely thought as she heard talking. _Dying would have to be more pain, wouldn't it? It hurt worse in that damn car crash!_

"Choke her, tie her up, gag her, take her money, and leave her in the ally for someone else to find." Someone's husky voice said viscously as Lizzie felt herself being pushed into someone's arms.

"Why me, man? You know I would get lost in those allies. Why don't you do it?" This man's voice was familiar, why was it so familiar? With a groan, Lizzie managed to gain control of her limbs, and she swung around, catching one on the side of the head, and the other just barely dodging.

"Listen lady, just do as we say, and there's no need for injury. Men never really want to hurt a woman." The familiar voice said with mirth. Lizzie's head pounded as she struggled to stay focused. She chastised herself for not being able to have both feet on the ground without it spinning.

Lizzie groaned, and distinctly grumbled, "You think taking advantage of a woman is a sign that you're a man? Honestly, when you have to force a woman, it only shows your incompetence to swoon one."

Bright lights erupted in Lizzie's tunnel vision, and it blinded her. _I can't be dying._ She thought dazedly, _I was just about to get away! What injury do I have that would kill me? _

The screeching of tires as the luxury car spun around was deafening in Lizzie's ears. The vehicle swung around and around with controlled ease, and the guys dove out of the way from it. Lizzie took a step back, and was about to try to run away when the car door was thrown open, and a deadly dangerous voice commanded, "Get in."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Will's eyes grew into dangerous slits as he saw them holding her against the wall. Fury threatened to spill over in him and without thinking properly, Will shifted gears, and sped towards them. A second too late and he realized that if he crashed into them, it would hurt her as well. Cursing, he shifted gears again, and swerved the car until it was spinning around them.

He could see that she was dazed and slightly incoherent. Her eyes were wide, and she seemed like she was swaying to stay grounded. The guys around her were a nasty pair, one of them with darting eyes, and a mouth too big for his face. The other looked simply like a drunk bum.

He couldn't think of anything else but the picture of them choking her. After that one snap shot, Will's mind had went on overdrive, and he was acting purely on instinct. Just the thought of her hurt was enough to make him want to jump out of the car while it was spinning, and kill them. But she still needed to get to safety. Maybe he would come back later and finish them, but now, she had to be taken away from the situation.

The car finally stopped spinning, and with luck the passenger side door was right next to her.

Not realizing how forbidding his voice was sounding, Will reached over, and he opened the door. With a slight snarl, he saw her standing there, looking ready to run. Afraid that that was what she was going to do, Will said in his deadly serious voice, "Get in."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Lizzie's mind was going insane. She could feel blood on the back of her hair, but when she heard that voice; it sent chills up her spine. It was a hard, angry, but soft and deadly voice, and Lizzie couldn't help but stumble into the car when she heard it. Who would be able to go against a voice like ice, and just as cold?

She slid into the leather seat, the dark interior of the car unsettling her slightly. She felt jumpy and shaky, and the pulsing at the back of her head was driving her insane in pain. She could only gape as the man switched gears, and shot gravel as he drove along the pavement into the park.

Lizzie couldn't believe it was him. The very fact that it had to be him made her slightly nervous. It felt as if she hadn't seen him in months, when she had seen him the day before. Why did she feel that way about him? With the pulsing pain in the back of her head, Lizzie couldn't for the life of her come to any conclusions.

"Talk." He ground out as they raced past trees, the headlights whitening the ground before them. Lizzie leaned back and rested her head against the head rest. With a gasp, she sat straight as she realized that the blood in her hair was now on the leather. The man glanced down and saw that she had no seatbelt on, and was gripping the one next to her for dear life as they sped along. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, and added, "And buckle up for me, if you would."

Nodding slowly, Lizzie grabbed the seatbelt tighter, and ran it across her lap. Securing it tightly, she looked over at him and tried to breath through her sore throat. It burned from the fishy man's hands, and she rubbed it tenderly.

"Lizzie, I need you to talk to me. Please, just prattle or ramble along for me; anything to cause distraction." He whispered angrily as he gripped the steering wheel with an intense hold. Lizzie took a deep breath, and held her throat tenderly.

"Um… my coffee got spilled back there." She said tightly as he took a sharp turn, and drove around the park again. The slightest twitch of a smile threatened his lips, but he merely raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of coffee?" He asked. The edge was still in his voice, but it was not as sharp as when he had first spoken. Still, the sound was horribly forbidding, and though he had been sharp and angry before, Lizzie had never heard him use such an intense voice before. It unsettled her slightly.

"Vanilla coffee, with little cream, and an added hint of caramel. Just a hint though, nothing more, or I can tell." She said slightly louder as the pain slipped a little more. It hurt like hell, Lizzie had to admit to that, but it was more of a dull throb that had to be treated like a bruise.

"Why do you like it?" He gritted his teeth for some reason. Lizzie had to conclude that he was thinking about how picky the average girl was. Still, she could see the skin stretched across his hands was white at the knuckles, and so she plodded along.

"I don't know exactly why. I think it was because of the fact that my ex-boyfriend loved caramel added in his coffee, so he decided to add a bunch of caramel into my drink, but I didn't like it, but it was still good. So, as long as there is only a hint of it in my drink, I should be fine." She finished lamely, feeling foolish. She glanced over at him to see that he had calmed down a little bit, and his white knuckles weren't as stretched and creepy as before.

"Goodness, I sound like an idiot." She muttered as she saw the speedometer that had been in the eighties creep slowly down to the sixties, and then the fifties. She glanced at his handsome face to see that his lip twitched in the hint of a smile.

The car kept running, but Will turned along another road, and put it in park. The radio was on, and playing a slow, crooning song and Lizzie saw him lean his head back on the headrest.

"Better?" She asked hesitantly.

"No." He snapped, but his voice softened quickly. "But you're not an idiot." He opened his eyes, and turned to look at her with a furrowed brow, and his jaw clenched.

"Well good. I sure as hell don't want to be known as an idiot." Lizzie joked lamely as she tried to lighten the mood. It worked.

"Lizzie, you're absurd." He muttered darkly as he cautiously reached to touch the back of her head. "You're nearly beaten and left, and the thing you worry about is being remembered as an idiot?"

"Well, that's me!" She said with a wince as her head twanged. Will's face broke into a smile, and Lizzie blinked in surprise.

"You're smiling." She muttered in disbelief. Will burst into laughter, and once again, Lizzie was surprised. The brooding glare he usually sported was gone. The sharp lines of his face softened and his eyes danced.

"Someone once told me that I seemed a better person when I did." He said thoughtfully as he glanced at Lizzie. She raised an eyebrow, and wondered where he had heard that. And why it was so familiar to her.

"But you need something to eat." He said with a disapproving glare as he got back onto topic. A shadow passed over his face, and he shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Why, I'm not hungry!" Lizzie protested as she saw him pass by different fast food places.

"You'll be able to think more clearly when you have sugar in you." He replied in a tone that meant quite clearly for her to shut up. Lizzie obliged the unspoken thought, and waited as he pulled into a parallel parking space with ease. He hopped out and walked to the other end, and opened the door with control. His jaw was clenched in that agitated way, and Lizzie was slightly nervous. Her head was spinning, and though she could feel the blood dry on the back of her head, she didn't want someone to see it and freak out about it.

He led her into the small café by the small of her back, but his mind reeled when he saw the injury. Almost as if sensing his unease at it, Lizzie grabbed her hair, and pulled it into a messy ponytail, and sat down at a booth.

"I'm perfectly fine, really." Lizzie protested as Will ordered two lattes. The waiter raised his eyebrows at Lizzie when she glared pointedly at both of them, but walked off without a hurt ego.

"That's the problem! You shouldn't be fine; you should be going into shock or something." He snapped as he leaned back into his seat. Lizzie raised an eyebrow at this statement, but made no further comment. They sat in an awkward silence, but Lizzie broke it when the Lattes arrived.

"Well, no matter my situation now, I have to say, Will, you sure you know how to make a daring rescue. Thanks for that." She muttered as she looked down at her drink, embarrassed. Will gave a start as he saw that she was talking to him, but smiled again.

"I do have a flare for helping a damsel in distress." He said brightly as his mood changed considerably. Once again, Lizzie was forced to come to the conclusion that this man was bi-polar. But, whatever he was, Will Darcy saved her life. It made Lizzie feel horribly awkward, and she didn't know how to take it. Once moment, he's a taciturn person, and the next, he's saving lives?

"And I'm the supposal damsel?" She chided as she took a sip. Just that sip made her realize just how thirsty she was, and she took a deeper gulp. Will grinned smugly, and nodded as she took another sip.

"Yes, yes you are." He replied simply. Lizzie glared at him, and then realized that her drink was empty. Surprise flitted her features, and she looked down to see it completely drained. Will pressed his Latte towards her, and she took a cautious drink of it.

"You need to drink more. I got both of them for you anyways." He said with a sardonic grin. Lizzie scowled, but as the waiter came with a check, Will paid immediately, and told him to keep the change. Pulling Lizzie onto her feet, he guided her slowly out of the door, and walked along the sidewalk.

"So how did you end up near that park?" Lizzie asked as she tried to break the tense silence.

"I needed to clear my thoughts with a drive. It just happened to be the time you needed help. It wasn't planned, believe me." He muttered as he scuffed his Italian shoe along the dirty road. He didn't want to say how he had seen her earlier that day.

"Oh…you want to head back there? I know a good place to see the stars. Once in a life time sort of thing." Lizzie offered lightly as she looked anywhere but at him. It was hard trying to figure him out, but at the same time, Lizzie felt like she just wanted to close the distance between them, and touch his arm.

Soon enough, they found themselves laying on the grass, side by side, and simply talking. Lizzie had claimed to know Darcy before, but she didn't know him like this. It was a different man than she had ever known before, and it intrigued her to no end that he could be so emotional, or entertaining. With a small contented sigh, she glanced at her watch, and realized that they had sat there talking for a little more than a couple of hours. The glowing numbers said 11:59, and she laughingly realized that she was spending New Year's with William Darcy.

"Hey, Liz… you ever hear of the good luck you can get from New Year's?" Will asked as he looked at her face. Never before had he seen anyone so beautiful, and to see her right next to him made him slightly daring.

"No, how do you get it?" She asked distractedly as she mentally counted down the ten seconds left for New Year's.

"Like this." He whispered, and pressed his lips lightly against hers.

**Ok, so my other computer crashed, and this chapter is really really short! Sorry, but we had to hook a bunch of stuff up, and now we're using a different computer until we can get that one fixed. Sorry it took so long, and sorry this chapter's so short!**


	14. Cutting Contacts

**Thanks so much for the reviews! And, I'm sorry for being a rip off from Twilight. I haven't read Twilight, so I'm going to buy it and see how bad I copied. Sorry if it made readers mad: ( I REPEAT, I HAVE NOT READ TWILIGHT! I'm so sorry for rip offs! I didn't know, I totally swear on a bible! --… I feel totally bad that I did, but now that that awkward moment's over… **

**Disclaimer- Not mine!**

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Lizzie lay awake as she decided whether or not to call Charlotte. It was her wedding after all, but Lizzie really didn't want to call if she had to hear Collins on the other end blabbering on and on about how happy he was. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was 7:00 in the evening, and they were probably on their way to some resort.

The wedding had been at 3:00 in the afternoon, and the reception at 4:00. Just the thought of Charlotte grasping his hand as he read slimy, stupid vows, and then slipping a ring on her finger made the flesh on Lizzie's skin crawl. And then, after taking his greasy hands off of hers, he'd pull the veil off of her head, and lean in for a kiss…

…almost like the kiss Will had done last night. Lizzie stopped that train of thought quickly. She didn't know what to do about it. Just remembering it sent chills through her, and she could feel his hands on her skin as he caressed her softly…

…stop thinking about it! But she couldn't stop thinking about it, and that was more factual than the truth that when he had finally pulled away, he had stood up, and promptly ran off.

_"Like this." He whispered and pressed his lips lightly against hers.. Lizzie froze as she tried to figure out what to do. Will Darcy was… kissing her? But why was he doing that? It wasn't as if he liked her, he had made that quite clear! But then why was he gently lowering her to the ground as if he did? _

_It was then that much to Lizzie's surprise and horror; she found that she wanted to kiss him back. He was so soft, and so gentle, as if to say she could stop him at any point she didn't want to feel him. But his caress was so… nice. Simply put, it was nice. Tingles shot through her as she relented, and wrapped her arms around him. Her blood felt on fire, and as he kissed her cheek softly, his breath cooled her suddenly warm skin. _

_Lizzie opened her eyes to see him staring at her in that wanting way. His dark blue eyes sparkled brightly as he stared into her eyes, and for the first time that night, she felt perfectly, and totally safe._

_"You're so beautiful, you know that, right?" He whispered softly in her ear as he ran a hand through her hair. Lizzie blinked in surprise, and stared right back into his eyes in shock. He must have seen the shock on her face because reality donned on his, and he backed away suddenly. Standing up, he stared back at her with carefully masked emotions. _

_"I hope your head feels ok. You need to get that looked at." He said in a cold voice that belonged to when he was living in Brooklyn. Lizzie's eyes widened angrily as she propped herself up. _

_"I'm not the only one!" She muttered as she saw him back away slowly. He ran a hand through is messy hair, and with a quick turn of the heel, he fled from the park as fast as he could. _

With a groan, she pressed her fists against her eyes as she tried to banish the picture of the emotions running through his eyes. His gaze alone had held her, and Lizzie didn't know how she could face him after this. Sure, people kissed each other all the time, but the way he had just dropped her and left really got under her skin.

"Prick…" She muttered as she grabbed her cell phone to call her best friend, Charlotte. Just playing that scene over and over in her mind was not what she wanted to do, and she had a feeling Charlotte wanted her to call.

"Hello, married woman speaking." A droll voice commented as they picked up the other line.

"CHARLOTTE!" Lizzie exclaimed as she put on a false cheery voice.

"Ok, that doesn't fool me, Lizzie, what happened?" Charlotte demanded. Lizzie tried to scoff, but both of them knew that something was wrong.

"Nothing happened! How was your wedding?" Lizzie lied with a grimace she wasn't sure if she wanted people knowing yet.

"Lizzie… I don't care about my wedding! Tell me what happened!"

"NO!"

"Lizzie," A warning voice intoned, "Spill or I'll come to NYC myself and hurt you."

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Will tugged hopelessly at his hair as he paced through his penthouse. Blaise and Emma were curled up next to each other, watching with solemn amusement.

"Will… it was just a bloody kiss!" Emma exclaimed while she dodged a reprimand from her brother. "If anything, it helps her to realize you like her… a lot!"

"It wasn't just a kiss! I insulted her, and walked away without even a glance back in her direction to see just how bad I hurt her!" He exclaimed as he tugged even more at his hopeless hair. Reaching into his pocket, he felt the ribbon, and inwardly groaned as he remembered the look of confusion etched across her features.

"You know how to make a woman angry." Blaise commented. Will glared at him, but had to agree with what he was saying. Who would kiss someone, and then walk off the second afterward? With a curse, he realized that he could think of only one other person who could do that- Wickham.

_Will saw the distracted look in her eyes as she stared at her watch carefully. Her hair was pulled back, but some strands had escaped enough to halo her face perfectly. With a small smile, suddenly felt daring, and wanted to kiss her. He had wanted to do that ever since she had messed around in the wine closet, but now, the urge just to touch her took over, and after a corny exchange, he finally saw the opportunity to kiss her. _

_"Like this." He whispered and pressed his lips lightly against hers. Every feeling of caution, disgust, worry, and frustration disappeared, and his blood felt like melted mercury. His breath hitched in the back of his throat, and he gently pushed her onto the ground. He hoped that she wouldn't push him away, but knew that she had every right to. Still, his thoughts weren't really registering to him anyway. _

_Her skin was like a smooth silk, and he just wanted to touch her. He held her gently, but the action went against every feeling in his body. His skin felt on fire, his blood like ice, and his heart pounded in his throat. The feeling only intensified when she wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him back tenderly. When he finally pulled away, he saw her eyes that were glossy like untouched water, and she gazed back at him with a small smile. _

_"You're so beautiful, you know that, right?" He whispered as he traced her jaw line. She felt like porcelain; like he could break her at any moment. He looked back into her gaze, but was instantly troubled to see shock and confusion etched in every part of her face. _

_**You're kissing the girl that you don't want to love.**__ His mind worked around that small thought, and when it finally registered, he back away, annoyed with himself. Why did he think that kissing her was alright? He was William Darcy, not some love struck teenager holding his supposed love! Standing up with as much dignity as could be expected, Will forced his emotions to take on the cold, calculated stare he usually had when he was talking with someone he didn't want to talk to. _

_"I hope your head feels ok. You need to get that looked at." He forced himself to say it in such a way to make her angry. It worked. Propping herself up, she glared at him with a glint in her eye that he saw the last time he had insulted her blatantly. He watched as her emotions played across her face, but almost stopped his cruelty when he saw hurt as one of the feelings. _

_"I'm not the only one!" She muttered angrily as she looked like she was about to lunge at his throat. Will almost sat back down and apologized. He almost professed his love to her. He almost begged her to go steady with him just for the excuse to see her. Of course, with a restrained jerk of the shoulder, he whirled around, and walked away from the one thing he wanted. In his mind, it was the one thing he wasn't allowed to have. _

"Will… you need to realize that you want her." Blaise said heavily as he watched his closest friend's inner turmoil.

"Blaise, I don't want her." Will ground out as he leaned against the wall; still running his hands through his hair to calm himself a little bit.

"If you don't want her, then why'd you kiss her?" Blaise demanded. Emma lay still as she watched her cousin with pity. The first time he had seen love for himself, and he was denying it. She had never seen someone fight so hard against the inevitable.

"The damn girl tempted me." Will lied softly as he glared at the couch his family sat on, and remembered that she had slept on that couch not too long ago.

"You know bloody well she didn't. If you don't want her, then stop thinking about her, stop seeing her, stop wanting to see her, and stop tracing the lining on that bloody ribbon!" Blaise snapped as he got up, and tore the threads out of Will's grasp. Will lunged after it, but his cousin held it threateningly over a paper shredder.

"Now," Blaise said calmly, "Do you like Elizabeth Bennett?" Will paused as he glared at his cousin.

"No." He snapped as his mind screamed yes. Blaise smiled thinly, and pressed the ribbon back into his friend's hand.

"If you don't care, I don't expect to see you rummaging in your damn pocket for that bloody ribbon ever again. If I see you doing so, I'll kick your arse."

"Naturally." Will said angrily as he pocketed the stupid thing, whirled around, and walked out of the penthouse.

"Blaise, was that necessary?" Emma asked as she saw her cousin's retreating back.

"Yes… I've addressed the situation. Now, he will either accept the pickle he's in, and go and talk to her; explain everything really… or he will throw out the ribbon. Will knows that he can't teeter on the edge anymore. If he chooses her, then happy for him. If he doesn't…"

"Blaise, you will not go after Elizabeth." Emma said it carefully, as if she was talking to a small child. Blaise grinned horribly.

"If he doesn't… then I'm just going to show him what he's missing." Blaise said smugly.

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Lizzie explained everything to her friend. Charlotte was silent for most of it, but when Lizzie told her about his words to her when he was walking away, she exploded.

"That idiot! Throwing a piece of fine meat away like that! Does he realize what he's done? Who could walk away from you, Lizzie? Really, that man is simply the most arrogant, selfish, and stupid, not to mention arrogant…" She continued her rant as Lizzie smiled on her end. Charlotte always found a way to unintentionally put her in a better mood.

"Charlotte… how was your wedding?" Lizzie asked a few minutes later. Charlotte stopped that rant, and then began on her new one.

"Oh, it was really great! Of course, with my maid of honor not even there for me, it was sad, but you're coming to see me at Easter, and no boss of yours will stop you! Promise me you'll come, Lizzie, promise me."

"Of course I'll come! I don't think I could be away for more than-"

"Charlotte has to go, Lizzie, she's my bride, not yours." And with that, the line went dead. Lizzie looked back at the cell phone in disgust that Collins was such a jack ass. Grumbling in annoyance, she stood up, and walked outside of the house, much to the surprise of her aunt.

Purposely going the opposite direction of the park, Lizzie didn't really mind where her feet led her just as long as she didn't run into anyone (Will Darcy) she didn't want to meet. Just hearing his words made her feel even angrier than anything else, and she knew she needed to calm down.

"I've taken worse insults before. Why should one from him matter so much?" She muttered as she touched her lips. It mattered because it was said after he had kissed her so sweetly, and the two actions clashed. To go from kissing to insulting was something only he could do.

Sitting down on a bench, Lizzie decided she needed a day to herself. She just needed a day to look around, and shop a little bit for her family. She was slightly surprised that she hadn't bought anything for them yet, and she felt slightly bad that it had taken her so long to come to the conclusion to do so.

Glancing at the schedule on the post next to her, Lizzie saw that she had 10 minutes until the next bus came. Settling down a little more into the seat, Lizzie glanced around contently until she felt like she was being watched. Maybe it was just the feeling and paranoia from the night before that shocked her still.

When she had gotten home, Lizzie had assessed her injury, and found that it was not serious. Head wounds always bleed more, but more blood doesn't always mean a more serious injury. After cleaning it up, she put a salve onto her head, and parted her hair in such a way to let a scab form without hair sprouting from it.

But it would have been a lot easier if she didn't have thoughts running through her mind, and blood running out of it at the same time. Things seemed more difficult when both actions were happening.

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Will walked angrily around corners, alleys, and streets as he tried to force himself to stop thinking about Elizabeth Bennett. His cousin was right; enough was enough! He had to get the poor, silly girl out of his mind, or die trying. Too much was at stake to fall in love with her.

Pulling out the ribbon from his pocket, he glared at it accusingly. What right did one woman have, running through his life without a care in the world? She left him awake at night, thinking about her, and when he slept, he dreamed about her! She wouldn't leave him alone, and at first, he had fought against it. Later on, he was unsure.

But now, Will was stopping all thoughts of her. She wasn't worth his time! There were people who would throw themselves at him for anything, and he just happened to like the one person who didn't. Even after insulting her, he had begun to fall. It was the way she handled it! First, she was angry, but she channeled that anger to humiliate him!

And the thing was, was that she probably didn't even realize it! She just waltzed through his life without a care in the world, and then lost her mind when he said something stupid!

But he did deserve any hatred now. But he wouldn't care about her. Not anymore. With a solemn, grim glare, he stopped walking, and found himself on an overpass. Running the threads through his fingers, he stopped, glared, and leaned against the metal bars.

"I don't like Elizabeth Bennett." He told himself as he nodded in firm belief. He knew it would take awhile, but with his powerful skills of persuasion, and proper avoiding techniques, he could make himself hate her for all she was worth.

Grinning like a fool at this thought, Will let the wind make the ribbon slip from his fingers, and glide on the currents of the sky. He watched it drolly as it fluttered to stay airborne, but then swirled as it fell to the street below. As he saw it land in front of a bus wait, he turned around, and walked back to his penthouse, bent on having a good time with family on New Year's Day.

He was glad to find that he really didn't care, or anything.

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Lizzie waited impatiently for the bus. She was very tempted to just walk around and try to find her way, but as she stood up, she saw something floating down. As it landed on the sidewalk, it was much to her surprise when she saw what it was.

"My… ribbon?" She asked herself as she picked up the threadbare, bedraggled strip of satin.

**Ok, so this was short as well, but I'm stalling a little bit before Rosings (if you can't tell). Thanks so much for reviewing, and to show me you like this or hate this, you must review! Anywho, on a sad note, the computer is faulty, but I will survive! **


	15. Gone and Back Again

**Ok, thanks for the reviews, and thanks for every compliment you guys give me! Also, because of you guys, I am reading Twilight, and will soon see the extent of my problematic chapter. I hope you guys keep reading otherwise! It really helps when I get constructive criticism! Also, I've stopped stalling Rosings, and (as promised) here it is! Anywho… on with the show!**

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Lizzie took a deep breath as she stepped out of the car, and into her friend's waiting arms. After interning for a couple of months now, Easter had finally come, and Lizzie could boast of knowing her job like the back of her hand. She could also boast of running into Darcy only once.

_"Oh… Darcy…" Lizzie muttered as she glared at him venomously. After finding that she favored one coffee shop, she went to that one regularly, but incidentally so did he. After buying her drink, she had turned around and almost bumped into him again. _

_"Miss Bennett." He stated coldly. Glancing at his watch, he sighed, then looked back at her. "How are you?" _

_"As fine as ever. I got my head checked, by the way. Not even a concussion." She said with slight false enthusiasm. Will turned a bright red, and looked down, abashed._

_"Oh… well… that's good." He muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. _

_"Well, now it's your turn, Darcy." She said sweetly, and glaringly. _

_"What's my turn?" He asked warily as he looked anywhere but at her. Lizzie smirked as she feigned innocence. _

_"Why, to get your head checked!" She exclaimed in a false sweet voice. Will turned an even brighter red, and glared at her. _

_"A good idea. How's your sister?" He changed the subject quickly. _

_"Never been better. Of course, with heartbreak and disappointment, the only way she could go was up." Lizzie muttered the last part as she glared up at him. _

_"Well, I hope she can get over him. He most certainly has gotten over her." Will said decidedly. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, and slapped him. _

_"You would do well to not talk about feelings that you've never had in your life. You have no idea what she's suffered. To talk like you don't know anything is proof you've never fallen in love." She ground out as she glared at him. "Have a nice day, and it was good seeing you, Darcy." _

_She turned around and walked quickly out of the coffee shop,vowing to find a new one. Unbeknownst to her, Will still stood where he had been moments before, a hand to his cheek. _

_"Oh, but I have." He said softly. His cousin's words sprung into his head, and gathering his thoughts, Will snapped to attention, and walked out of the shop. The people inside took relieved sighs the moment the door closed on him, and went back to the way they were before the proud man had stepped into their shop._

"So, how has your marriage been these months?" Lizzie asked as she surveyed her friend with a critical eye. She was surprised to see Charlotte thinned out, and with highlights in her hair. Her usual appearance of comfort was replaced by a business suit, and her hair coiled into a professional bun. Makeup was put on well, but Lizzie knew her friend hated makeup. Why was she wearing it?

"My marriage has been a happy one. I'm very content with my life right now. You'll be able to meet Catherine tonight by the way. We'll have to have an entire makeover though." Charlotte said with a critical eye on her friend.

"Um… why?" Lizzie demanded with a slight tinge of anger and annoyance. Her friend was acting slightly off since the last time they had talked.

"Catherine is slightly judgmental about appearances." Charlotte said with a hint of nervousness. Since when was Charlotte nervous about stuff?

"You mean she thinks anyone without their nose stuck in the air is not worth her time?" Lizzie asked as she watched with fascination when a butler came out of Charlotte's house, and took her bags with a sneer.

"If your nose is stuck in the air higher than hers, and you don't worship her, then she will not like you." Charlotte said with a grumble under her breath that Lizzie didn't hear.

"Then I don't think we'll get along." Lizzie decided. Charlotte muttered something that sounded awfully like, "She'll kill you if you don't…" But Lizzie couldn't say for sure if those were her real words.

She kept up with her scrutiny of her friend as they walked up to a smaller Edwardian home. The shutters were white, and the house a dull grey. Still, it had lots of blooming flowers, and a swirling walkway that led to the back, and she could see a vast amount of space for walking.

"I can't wait to see all of the land she has!" Lizzie had to admit to her friend as they walked along the pathway. Charlotte laughed.

"I don't think you'd be able to see it all. Catherine has over 700 acres of land that has been cultivated, and decorated. Half of it is condos, but the rest is pools, gardens, and such. It would take awhile to see it all!"

"Then we'd better get started!" Lizzie exclaimed brightly while they unpacked her stuff. Charlotte suddenly froze when she picked up some of the clothes Lizzie had packed.

"Do you have anything nicer?" Charlotte asked, exasperated. Lizzie's eyebrows rose considerably when he heard a slight condescension in her friend's voice. Since when did Charlotte care about her clothes?

"Um, no… should I?" Lizzie asked uncertainly. She wasn't positive that her friend was as "content" as she claimed she was.

"You'll just have to borrow something of mine." Charlotte muttered as she set the clothes down with a worried look. Lizzie grunted something under her breath, but Charlotte heard it.

"The only reason I seem like a 'stuck-up prick' is because I don't want Catherine to rip another hole in your face to breathe through!" Charlotte exclaimed as she laughed. Lizzie grunted something else, but Charlotte didn't hear; she was busy trying to fight back a shudder as she felt something slide down her back.

"Hello, Lizzie. Welcome to our humble home." Came a slick, oily voice. Lizzie froze at his words, and whirled around to see Collins leering at her with a look of arrogance. How could Charlotte stand to be around a man like that?

"Hello, Collins." Lizzie said hesitantly. He grinned up at her with nasty teeth, then he grabbed her hand and kissed it. He then sized her up, taking in clothes and disheveled hair.

"Charlotte," He snapped in a sharp voice that brought her to attention. "You didn't tell her to dress nicely, did you?" He didn't wait for an answer. "She'll have to wear your clothes then. My dearest Catherine De Bourg will not be disrespected like this! She needs a makeover too. I smell grease."

"Maybe you should bathe, and you wouldn't smell grease anymore." Lizzie said with an arched eyebrow. Collins stopped his muttering, and turned an angry eye at her. Raising his hands in surrender to her, he turned around, and walked out. Charlotte busted into laughter that soon had Lizzie rolling on the floor too.

"You'll have to wear some of my clothes. That's ok though, you don't need anything else. You always look so pretty." Charlotte said as she picked up a stray strand of curly hair.

"You sleep in the same bed as that man?" Lizzie asked incredulously as she ignored the compliment. She wrinkled her nose at the thought that he had proposed to her. The thought always made her queasy. Charlotte blushed a bright red, and looked down as she muttered something about him sleeping on the couch most nights.

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Lizzie huffed her way up the steep stairs to the door. The museum like house had tall, narrow stairs that were a challenge for three people to ascend. At least Lizzie wasn't red in the face, and sweating in a tuxedo like Collins was. His greasy hair was slick with sweat, and he looked like he was about to keel over at any moment. Grinning victoriously as she reached the top, Lizzie hopped up and down on her stiletto heels.

Turning around to face the door, Charlotte and Lizzie marched up with solemn faces that looked more like the faces of soldiers on the battlefront than anything else. As Charlotte knocked, Lizzie struggled to button the business jacket she had been coerced into wearing. As the door swung open, Lizzie heard a familiar voice, and looked up with a large smile on her face.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

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"Blaise, I don't want to see my aunt." Will said as he leaned back in the seat of his cousin's car. It was a sleek Jaguar, but he preferred his own luxurious Volvo.

"I don't want to see her either. But, she says there will be a couple of other guests to keep us company; her lap dog's wife and her lap dog's wife's friend." Blaise replied brightly as he took the turn to his aunt's house; maybe the better term was manor. The large black walls loomed up like a prison, and he couldn't help but chuckle as Will leaned against the window, and groaned, "looks like a prison…" under his breath.

As they pulled up, he saw the lap dog's large house, and a couple of people walking in and out of it with luggage. _Lap dog's wife's friend must be staying awhile._he thought with no real care. They pulled into the circular drive and Will got out as soon as the car stopped. He stretched his long legs, and for the thousandth time that day, he pushed Elizabeth Bennett out of his mind. Since seeing her at the coffee place, he went there at that same time everyday, hoping to catch a glimpse of her; finally the worker at the counter had informed him that she had stopped coming.

_She stopped coming because of me._ he thought with a solemn glance at his cheerful cousin. As they began to ascend the stairs, he thought back to their exchange. The only reason he had brought up her sister and Charlie was because he didn't want the conversation going anywhere near New Year's. He also kept in mind that he "hated" her, and her reaction after he had provoked made it easier to hate her. Sure enough, after walking out, Will had forced himself to think that she slapped him because she was uncultured, and not because he deserved it.

As they were shown into the room his aunt occupied, Will inwardly groaned. Catherine had her apprentice, Anne, in the room. Will and Anne had grown up together as children, but he had always thought of her as a boring person. Too bad for his aunt; she wanted them to wed because merging his wealth with Anne's future inheritance would improve her family's social and financial status..

"William, dear." Catherine cooed as he bent down and gave her a small hug. Anne coughed delicately, but made no move to say hello. Blaise bent down, and ruffled his aunt's hair, which set their aunt off at once.

"Well, I never! I can't believe that you'd even think that I was one to…" She kept blathering on about respect, but Will wasn't listening. He was thinking more of the fact that all he wanted to do was to see Elizabeth one more time. It would either make or break him, and he was prepared for the consequences.

"Will… how have you been?" Anne asked after a bout of fitful cough.

"Quite fine, I thank you." Will replied nonchalantly.

"We're going to be having guests over soon. Be sure to be present when they arrive." Catherine said as a dismissal. Seeking refuge, Will and Blaise escaped the room before they even thought to invite Anne along.

"What are we going to do while we wait?" Will asked as they roamed the halls stupidly. Blaise laughed, and pushed open a door slowly. Inside, bright lights of arcade games lit up every crevice, and in the middle stood a plasma TV and an X-box.

"How did this get here?" Will breathed as he looked at the mind numbing instruments.

"I have my ways." Blaise said brightly, and they both walked over to the games, and proceeded to eat their brain away with the slightly entertaining drivel.

----------------------

"Will, come on! Someone's knocking on the door!" Blaise said for the umpteenth time as he tried to get his cousin out of the game room. Will had one hand on the door, and the other was being yanked by his cousin.

"NO! You can't make me!" Will exclaimed as he pulled on the frame of the door, and tried to pry his hand out of his cousin's grasp.

"Stop acting so childish!" Blaise said, but when the knocking became slightly louder, Blaise let go of Will, and opened the door with an annoyed flourish.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?" Blaise asked with a smirk.

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Lizzie smiled brightly as she saw Blaise Fitzwilliam standing before her with a smile. He faced them in a relaxed position, and was leaning against the door. Behind him stood someone in the shadows, but they only saw a side view. Laughing, Lizzie jumped into his arms, and hugged him as he chuckled.

"Can't resist me, can you?" He asked devilishly as he patted her curly head.

"You wish." Lizzie grinned as she realized she was going to have at least one friend that wasn't brainwashed by that silly man, Collins.

"I say, why don't you at least acknowledge the fact we have guests?" Blaise asked the man behind him, and the man turned, walking out of the shadows slowly, and hesitantly approached. Lizzie still couldn't tell who it was, but hoped to god it wasn't who she thought it was.

"Hello Elizabeth."

**Ok, you know who it is, and now she'll know! I've been making rather short chapters lately, haven't I? I'll need to stop that, won't I?! Too bad, I might make them shorter! Well, ok, I won't, but I need to add length! Goodness, I'm starting to slack off! Anywho, you know the drill, and you know what makes me happy! I'll lengthen the chapters if I get reviews!**


	16. That Damned Ribbon

**Ok, so I'm finally at Rosings! YAY ROSINGS! And, of course, this is the sad place. The place that changed Will gosh dang it! And naturally, it would be ok to think that this is the chapter where everything goes down. But it isn't. Sorry, but that will be soon, I promise. But as a reviewer told me (because I've also been told that I'm making you people annoyed) I need to stop going in circles, and get on with it! So, let's remember a couple chapters back when Blaise decided that because Will was "giving up" our dearest Lizzie that he would show our stubborn friend what he was missing out on. Now, fast forwarding to this chapter, let's see what will happen, shall we? Because we all know that now is the time that I shall stop going in those stupid circles, and start going in straight lines!**

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Lizzie inwardly groaned as she saw the tell-tale messy black hair that was a sure sign of Will Darcy's presence. As Blaise twirled her around brightly, she hissed in his ear, "Please tell me that your sister seems more manly than usual."

"Oh, Will, look who's the wife's friend!" Blaise exclaimed deviously as he set Lizzie down on her rickety heels. He hadn't expected lap dog's wife's friend to be the one who would undo his cousin for good, but now that she was… everything was going to work out just fine. He could almost taste victory as he saw a multi-colored torrent of emotions play across Will's face, and because of it, he almost laughed.

As Lizzie regained her balance, she watched carefully as Collins rushed forth and began squeaking eagerly about how happy he was to see both of them here. She noticed how Will looked positively worried, excited, anxious, happy, hopeful, sad, desperate, and then for some reason… mad. Did Will Darcy hate her so much that he didn't even want her near him? (AN- No, let her think that, I promise I'm getting out of the circle!!!) At first she had been surprised to see them at Rosings, but then she remembered how Collins had babbled on about Will being related to Catherine, so if he was related to her than so was Blaise. It made sense, but it was very fishy how they happened to be there at the exact same time.

Deciding not to stoop to Will's level of obvious discomfort, Lizzie smiled brightly, and shook his hand.

"Hey Darcy, how have you been?" She asked with false interest as he shook her hand firmly in a businesslike grip.

"Very well, how have you been? Is your family ok?" He asked as he masked his jubilation at seeing her. Blaise wouldn't take it well if he noticed Will was happy to see her here; he had given her up after all. Still, seeing her bright, happy face and sparkling eyes made his heart hammer in his throat, and his blood run faster than necessary. The fact that she was smiling and acknowledging him like nothing had happened made him feel ten times worse as he remembered their last meeting.

"Oh yes, they're all fine. And your family is good too?" She asked as the small party was ushered into the house. The only reason she asked was to be polite, not because she wanted to hear his voice, or his words of concern; however false it may be.

"Very fine, she's at a piano competition." Will replied as he shot a glare at Blaise. Blaise smirked as he saw the hopeless stare his cousin always gave. Just seeing that let him know that his plan was going to work out perfectly. Plans couldn't get any better.

"What is she wearing? Do you call that fashion, young lady?" Someone's throaty croak pulled him out of his thoughts and into the present situation. Lizzie was standing next to lap dog's wife, and glaring pointedly at the crone.

"It's actually the latest rage in London, and New York, Catherine." Will's defensive tone made Blaise smile widen even more. Oh yes, things couldn't get better.

"Really? They should have made me a fashion designer; I would have been great at the art. There would not be any of this namby pamby wishy washy nonsense they call clothing. Well, your name is Lizzie? What a nasty name… I knew a Lizzie once. She ruined my dinner, and I fired her. You're not the same girl, are you? If you are, we're going to have some problems." Lizzie tried to bottle down every comment that came to mind when she heard that cranky voice. The old, crinkly lady had bags after bags after bags of skin that folded over each other, and overlapped like an apple tree's bark. Her eyes were sunken into her head, but she still deemed it necessary to wear a ridiculous amount of makeup that made her look like a done up pumpkin.

"…Oh, and your hair needs to be straightened. I don't know why you think that curly hair is pretty, it looks like a bush! Take my advice girl, and you'll go far."

"Would you care to tell me what brand of straightener to use? I don't think I could manage it without your advice." Lizzie snapped sweetly. Everyone went dead quiet and stared right at her with matching faces of astonishment. Charlotte was positively sweating as she watched Catherine's face turn from surprise to anger. She knew how angry Catherine could get, and didn't want her friend to face the brunt attack.

"Oh… Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie! That's unacceptable, and you know it! I'm terribly sorry dear Catherine, please excuse her! She was bred in a family of no manners, and now you see the conclusion of it." Collins babbled. Lizzie raised an amused eyebrow, and remembered to tell Jane all about this strange duo that now glared at her with ferocity.

"Yes, of course I'll excuse her! The younger generation has no good breeding; it's all watered down after all." Catherine replied as she leaned into her rocking chair.

"Oh… I'm terribly sorry dear Lizzie, please excuse her! She was bred in a family of no manners, and now you see the conclusion of it!" Blaise whispered in her ear as the small group situated themselves on the uncomfortable couch. Lizzie found herself wedged between Blaise and Will, and she didn't like the turnout at all. Will also seemed to dislike the turnout, for he struggled to find a comfortable position to relax in, but when Lizzie glanced at him from the corner of her eye, he couldn't really concentrate anymore.

"Yes, of course I'll excuse her! The older generation has no good breeding; it's all watered down after all." Lizzie replied sardonically as she smothered a grin. Charlotte sat in complete silence on the other side of Will, and she looked close to tears. Lizzie knew it was because she was trying not to laugh too.

"If the older generation is watered down, what does that make our generation?" Will asked in all seriousness. He was very surprised that Lizzie could take his aunt's insults so easily, and he was happy she didn't take them harshly. More than one has suffered from Catherine De Bourg's attacks. Lizzie looked at him with a mixture of surprise and disgust. She exchanged looks with a gleeful Blaise, and smirked.

"It makes our generation one that knows how to undress each other when they can't even tie their own shoe, they're so drunk." She replied with a serious face, but was really trying not to laugh right out. Will went a slight red when she said this in a rather loud voice, and turned an even redder shade when Catherine's voice was directed at them.

"What are you speaking of?!" She shrieked and then quieted when she realized how loud she was. "I demand to know. It's my right, you know."

"It's also her right to remain silent, but she doesn't do that, does she?" Lizzie whispered angrily but Blaise smothered a grin as he replied brightly, "We're talking of music, Auntie."

"Ah, music. If I had ever learned any instrument, I would have been amazing at it. Not to brag, but I am a natural at picking out good music, and bad music. Do you play any music, Elizabeth?"

"Um… I used to take piano lessons, but that was when I was twelve, and I quit a couple year later, so I'm no good at it." She replied nervously as she realized where this was going. She could see the old bat glaring at the baby grand piano in the corner with a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Play for us." She snapped as she swept a withered hand in the direction of the sleek black piano. Lizzie froze at this, and glared at her venomously. She had just said she was not good at it! All Catherine wanted to do was have her do something she wasn't good at so all of them could get a laugh at it. Will squirmed uncomfortably next to her as if he was the one being third degreed, and it annoyed her even more.

"No, thank you. I'm no good at it. It wouldn't sound good at all, and I don't want to ruin music like that." Lizzie said as she ignored the teasing nudge Blaise sent her.

"I said play, not give me excuses!" Catherine snapped angrily as she leaned forward in her rocking chair. The little excuse of a girl in another chair lifted her eyes and glanced at the room before looking back down quickly.

"And I said no thank you!" Lizzie replied as she glared. Charlotte sent pleading looks in her friend's direction, but Lizzie only had eyes for the seething old woman before her.

"Lizzie, she didn't ask, she demanded." Collins said severely. Lizzie glared at him, and then at Charlotte. Seeing Charlotte's face red with embarrassment and worry made Lizzie's heart melt with worry, and summoning as much dignity and grace for the moment, she swept over to the piano and settled herself on the leather seat. Blaise followed with a large grin on his face.

"What the hell's her problem?" Lizzie muttered as she placed her fingers uncomfortably on the keys and began to play little notes slowly.

"Georgiana is going to a performance soon, isn't she, Will?" Catherine said as she contently sipped her drink.

"Yes, she's in competition." Will replied as he looked over at the piano where Blaise sat right next to Lizzie. Something made his heart pang uncomfortably as he saw his cousin playfully wrap a strand of hair around her ear, and Will felt horribly jealous just seeing her smile up at him brightly in response.

"And she competes with people five and six years older than her, correct?" Catherine said with a smirk when she heard the amateur songs the uncultured girl was playing.

"Um… yes?" Will made it sound more like a question than a firm answer. Catherine kept going on about how the only reason his sister could do such a thing was because she practiced, and that was the only way to go about things. He noticed that as his aunt said this, Lizzie's smile widened even more. Her eyes sparkled much like the time he had first met her, and intrigued, he walked over to the front of the piano to see what color they really were.

"Oh, look who it is! Careful Darcy, you don't want to catch my uncultured disease." She warned brightly as she played The Fray's song, How to save a life. She missed a few keys every now and then, but he noticed that while she played, she seemed so loose and carefree that it really didn't matter.

"I don't really mind catching your disease, dear Lizzie!" Blaise exclaimed as he slipped an arm around her waist. Lizzie laughed right out at this, and leaned into his shoulder slightly. Anger flashed across Will's features before he pulled himself together and made his face blank.

"And standing there looking intimidating isn't going to make me mess up more than necessary either. Even if your sister competes against people older than me, I'm not scared at all." She added. Lizzie liked the way that Blaise held her, it felt nice. It didn't feel perfect, but it was a sweet feeling in the pit of her stomach and in response, she instantly relaxed.

"I hope you don't think I came over here to scare you. Also, I don't think I could really scare you, even if you claim I did. You always have a guard up, and never let anyone see the real you. You say things that would shock the entire room, even if that's not what you're really thinking." He replied easily as he watched her eyes flash brightly in response to his jest. He had to keep his guard up, even when he felt her stare make him melt on the inside.

"Blaise, your cousin speaks horribly of me. He better stop or else I might have to speak horribly of him too." Lizzie pouted as she plunged into a rendition of Linkin Park's song, In the End (AN- it's a really, REALLY pretty song done on piano, you should listen to it!).

"I'm not scared of you." Will smiled down at her as if they shared a joke or something. Blaise took note of how Will's eyes would flicker down to the arm occupying Lizzie's waist, and he took note of the anger that crossed his features whenever he looked.

Lizzie smiled at the opportunity to bash the man before her. He had simply walked over, and stood in her peripheral vision like a black cloud that covered the sun. Every now and then, his face would become angry, and it would creep her out before he would go back to the blank look he usually sported.

"You want to know about the first time I met the infamous Mr. Darcy? I'll tell you anyway… the first time I met that man, it was at a party welcoming him and his friends, and he danced with Caroline Bingley, and her sister once each before walking around the entire room, glaring at everyone! At a party! Mind you, there was definitely more men than woman, and even then, he didn't ask anyone else to dance! Even when his friend told him he should stop being Mr. Anti-social, he commented that none of the ladies were pretty enough for him! Imagine the scandal when people got wind of this!" Lizzie finished grandly as she plunged into The Goo Goo Doll's song, Iris.

"Will! For shame! To toss up a pretty girl like this because you're shy? For shame!' Blaise exclaimed as Will ducked his head to cover his embarrassment. Blaise grinned, and tucked another stray curl around Lizzie's ear before continuing. "And then, leaving the poor girl without a dancing partner! What gentleman would do such a thing?"

"I knew no one there but the people I had come with." Will grumbled as he sat down in a chair next to the piano. He should've known that this would have come back to haunt him, and now that it had he hated it.

"Wait… Blaise, did you say that Will Darcy was shy?" Lizzie asked as she stopped playing for a moment. Will looked up suddenly and glared at Blaise with such ferocity that Blaise clung to Lizzie's arm for safety. That made Will want to glare all the more, so he did.

"I… I don't have the talent of- of conversing with people… that I've never- that I've never met before." Will said as he looked anywhere but the two obvious love birds. It made him sick with envy to see her look so happy, and because of Blaise.

"And I, though this may shock you, do not have the talent that most have with the piano. I have to concentrate and I make lots of mistakes. But, that's my fault. I should practice more, just like your aunt said." Lizzie replied after she restarted her heart. She liked the effect Blaise was beginning to have on her.

"Very, very true. Nothing but hard, grueling work, tons of practice, and lots of awkward mistakes! After all is done though, there is an ease, and lots of love for what you do." Blaise smiled at the way his remark fit the description of two of his cousin's problems.

"Yes… of course." Will muttered as he leaned back into his chair. Lizzie kept playing, but there was something off about her. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something different about her. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he stopped cold as he realized he was reaching into his jacket pocket for the ribbon he had thrown away.

The first time he had done so; Blaise had tackled him onto the couch, and reached into his jacket pocket for the ribbon only to find it wasn't there.

_"Where's your ribbon, mate?" Blaise asked with a wild grin Will didn't trust. _

_"Threw it away." Will grumbled with difficulty. His cousin was digging his elbows into Will's lungs, and he couldn't take full breaths._

_"Then why'd you reach into your jacket pocket?" Blaise asked, confused. _

_"Force of habit." Will muttered, much to his cousin's amusement. _

That's what it was! As he leaned foreword in his chair, he glanced at her wrist. His blood ran cold as he realized that the threadbare ribbon he had thrown away was now wrapped securely around its owner's wrist.

**Haha, I just had to add that little part right there. That ribbon's caused nothing but trouble! Ok, I realize that I've been writing really short chapters lately, and I'm going to stop. Next chapter will have at least seven pages, or else. I will give you ten dollars if I get twenty reviews! **


	17. Makes Me Smile

**Ok, my computer's once again kicked the bucket, and so I'm on the other computer with the strange whirring noise. I've been working a lot on this stuff, and now that I've finally gotten time to post it, here it is! I won't keep you waiting any longer! Also, you guys are so special that when you get nit picky, I have to talk about it! You guys thinking of different things and reviewing to tell me about it seriously makes my day. I'm not being sarcastic, but it really makes me start to think out of my little circle, and do something different! But, I have to say that in a couple of chapters, I'm in full blown circleness. You know what I'm talking about! Of course you do! Those with thick skulls, I'll tell you… it's the dreaded Rosings proposal. **

** But, I'm sorry that that chapter wasn't the best. Chapter 16 wasn't my favorite either. I don't know, maybe I laid Catherine on a little too harsh? Tell me what you guys think, and I hope that you guys keep reading regardless! **

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"Excuse me, ma'am, but I've been informed of a severe lightening storm watch occurring in our area. People are advised to stay indoors." a maid informed the group as they ate dinner in tense silence. Lizzie looked up blankly, but Collins' face broke into a large smile.

"Thank you, Marcy. Get out of our dining area." Catherine said with a sweep of her arm. The girl in question bobbed her head wearily and left. Lizzie raised an eyebrow at Blaise, but he merely grinned as he slurped his soup loudly.

"Blaise, I know your mother taught you better manners. We have guests for the evening, and through tomorrow. At least act correctly around them." She snapped as she glared at him.

"Through tomorrow?" Lizzie asked blankly. Blaise smothered a grin –he had been doing so the entire evening really- and choked on his food. Everyone broke into laughter at her blank stare of incomprehension. Collins and Catherine's laughter stung her the worst; it was more condescending than anything else.

"There's a storm watch. It would be unsafe to go all the way to Mr. Collins' home, Lizzie." Will informed her quietly. Surprisingly, he was the only one who didn't laugh.

"Oh…" Lizzie muttered as she ducked her head. Grinning, Blaise ruffled her hair, which received a swift smack on the arm.

"It's ok, Lizzie, you just be yourself! It's what captivates us after all." he said with a coy wink in her direction. Blaise once again fought the urge to laugh when he saw Will's knuckles whiten as he gripped his eating utensils.

"I captivate the strange, arrogant Blaise Fitzwilliam? Unbelievable! I thought you were one who girls craved, not the other way around!" Lizzie teased as she laughed. The longer time she spent in the present company, the easier it was to like the boyish smile and sparkling eyes. Unbeknownst to her, his cousin was looking at her the whole time she was looking at Blaise.

"Ah, it gets us all. Even Will Darcy has fallen for a girl…" Blaise said as he snuck a quick glance at his cousin. Will's face turned a pale sheen of white, and his eyes bugged out. It was slightly pitiful to see him so frantic, but Blaise knew it would be well worth it.

"Really now? And who has had the honor?" Lizzie asked in shock. She turned to look at Will for the first time that dinner, and his look of absolute horror let her know that it was true.

"N-no… n-no one. I've fallen f-f-for n-no one! Blaise j-just likes t-tell-telling… lies." Will stuttered as he straightened his tie nervously. Lizzie raised an eyebrow at this, but made no further comment. Just seeing his rigid stance and wide, pleading eyes made her not want to push him into total humiliation. She knew how total humiliation felt. Actually, it was because of him that she felt it.

_"Like this." He whispered and pressed his lips lightly against hers. _

Inwardly groaning, she pushed the memory back to the back of her mind, and pulled herself into the present situation. Lizzie found that whenever she wasn't focusing on the task at hand, she would think back to that night, and that never helped. Whenever she thought about it, she turned red, and sure enough when she looked up from her plate, Blaise was looking at her with concern.

"Well, I'm finished with my dinner, and so the rest of you should be as well. Come along now, and I'll have William and Blaise show you to your rooms." Catherine said commandingly as she stood up. Lizzie stood up and swept out of the room so fast only Blaise and Will saw her face was beet red. Blaise didn't know why she was so red, but Will took a wild guess. He went very pale whenever he thought of New Year's, so who's to say she didn't blush when she remembered that incident too?

"Are you alright?" Will asked hesitantly as they turned the corner leading to the drawing room. Catherine was dragging Anne along with her, and left the guests to be shown to their rooms. Will knew the perfect room for Lizzie; he knew she'd enjoy it more than any other. Smiling, she turned to look up at him, and was about to respond when Blaise cut in.

"Of course she's alright, she's with me!" He exclaimed brightly as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Tossing a wink in his cousin's direction, he then began to lead her down another hall. "And I know the perfect room for you to be in for the evening. It suits you for more than one reason, I'm sure." And with that, he threw open a door, and both Lizzie and Will's jaws dropped.

It was the room he wanted to show Lizzie. It was a simple bedroom, if you didn't count the wall to wall books that were held in the sturdy cedar bookshelves, and the actual fireplace that could work. Smooth, leather chairs were next to each other in front of the fireplace, and a large canopy bed was squeezed between book shelves. Lizzie squealed in delight, and ran into the room, circling around as she looked at all of the books. Blaise leaned against the doorway, and smirked at the look of disappointment and anger on Will's face. Oh yes, things were going perfectly.

Will inwardly cursed his cousin for everything he was. How could he just waltz into Lizzie's life and act the flirtatious freak? Blaise knew (even if Will denied it) that Will liked Lizzie (a lot in fact), and purposely ruined his chances! Will wanted to walk right into the bedroom, grab her softly, and kiss her again. He could see the appreciation that radiated off of her, and yet it was for another man. How could fate be so cruel?

"Oh my gosh, Blaise, this is amazing! And this is a spare bedroom?" She asked incredulously as she turned to see the two men in the doorway. Blaise was beaming happily, but Will looked… in pain? Why would he look in pain? There was nothing wrong with him as far as Lizzie could tell; but as they made eye contact, he hurriedly broke it, and with a slight nod of the head, he left to the room he stayed in every time he came. Darcy certainly had a way of making Lizzie confused and annoyed at the same time. That didn't happen often.

"So, I have these tickets for a concert tomorrow, and since we've established your obsession with me, I thought it would be nice to take you, your friend, and Will along." Blaise said brightly as he waltzed into the room and hopped onto the bed.

"My obsession with you causes you to bring Charlotte and Will along?" Lizzie asked incredulously. Grinning, she plopped onto the bed too, and glanced down at the cutie that lay with his arms behind his head.

"Oh, of course. After all, I got four tickets, and I don't think that that creepy Collins man likes Pink Slip." He replied as he gauged her reaction with amusement.

"No… you didn't…" She muttered, her eyes wide. Blaise nodded slowly, the smug smile back on his face. Squealing, Lizzie hopped up and down on the bed, and her grin dominated her face.

"That's amazing! I love their music so much!" She squeaked as her eyes bugged out in disbelief that he had gotten tickets.

"I'd do anything for someone so amazing." He breathed as he leaned in close, breathing slightly on her skin. Lizzie's heart hammered as she stared, wide eyed at him. The feel of the room changed from bright to intense, very fast.

"Sleep tight Lizzie." Blaise whispered as he kissed her cheek lightly. Lizzie stopped breathing for a moment, and closed her eyes as she wrapped her mind around the fact that he just kissed her cheek. By the time she opened her eyes, Blaise Fitzwilliam was gone.

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Blaise leaned against the wall outside of her bedroom, and silently congratulated himself on a job well done. He knew how muddled she would be about his little moment with her; she would either welcome it (causing Will to become extremely jealous) or would push away from it (making an opening for Will to swoop in).

He had seen every action and emotion that Will had given, and most were jealousy, anger, and envy. Every now and then (whenever Lizzie would say something sweet or quirky) he would smile faintly at her. Blaise –loving the look on his cousin's face whenever he did so- would ruin the moment horribly by saying something provocative or wrapping an arm securely around her.

"Yes, he'll crack after tomorrow; I'm sure of it." He whispered as he walked down the hall, across a foyer, down some stairs, and into the game room where he proceeded to rot his brain out with gusto.

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Will couldn't get her out of his mind… again. He could still see her smiling face as she stared happily at Blaise, and it was driving him nuts. He felt so angry at his cousin, but he knew not to say anything. If he did, Blaise would never let him live it down. But how could he forget her when she was just down the hall from him? And seeing that ribbon wrapped around her wrist, how did she get it? He had thrown it into the wind on some random overpass for god's sake!

He was in love. Will couldn't deny it anymore.

"I'm in love." He whispered. It was like a death sentence. Now that he had said it out loud, he couldn't back away from the fact. He was in love with Elizabeth Bennett, and he knew he would never get her out of his head.

But her family! Just thinking back to the noisy mother and two sisters, and the anti-social and depressed younger sister made his blood curdle at the thought of having to be near them. Being close to her was all he wanted; but if being close to her meant being close to them, then he wasn't having it!

It was much easier to forget them now that they were nowhere in sight! No flirtatious sisters making fools of themselves, and no inept Mary pouncing away at the piano or singing when she had no talent. Right now it was just Elizabeth, and the only thing in his way was Blaise.

There was only one way to settle the inner turmoil he felt. He knew it would probably shock all of his friends and relatives, and would bring his status down a bit, but just to settle his anxieties and get it over with was all he wanted.

"Make the girl yours." He whispered. It would be easy, after all. Who could resist the Darcy fortune and his good looks? There was nothing that should hold her back from going out with him, and he knew it. It would be easy to make her fall in love, and then his problems would be solved.

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"Ok, how's everyone doing tonight?" The lead singer of the band asked as he took a drink of water. The singer, Phil, leaned down and took a hold of someone's hand and smiled brightly at her. "I got my girlfriend here with me tonight…"

The crowd went wild, and some went as far as to touch the girl in question.

"Hey, guys grab the girl closest to you; this song's for them! Especially my girl right here; let's give her a hand for putting up with me." He said the last part as he stared in her eyes lovingly before stepping back, and grabbing his acoustic guitar. The others in the band were settling onto chairs, and one was tuning his acoustic as he smiled and winked at some girls closest to the stage.

"Come with me." Blaise whispered into Charlotte's ear as he pulled her away from Will and Lizzie. Charlotte obliged as she saw Lizzie smile slightly up at the stage.

"What's your plan?" Charlotte asked as she sat down on the bar stool. Blaise grinned as he surveyed the two with a critical eye.

"He can't resist her, and she doesn't realize that the guy behind her is him. He's been seething at me this whole evening for being with her, and now he's going to take a chance at changing that fact. We just have to let the chips fall where they may." Blaise said as he leaned back with a devious smile.

"He's been glaring at you?" Charlotte asked with slight surprise.

"Oh yes, every time I got near her, he glared. He's been like an overprotective puppy dog. A very covert, overprotective puppy dog. I don't think she's realized it. Will's always had a problem with sharing feelings."

_"Lizzie, darling, how've you been?" Blaise asked as he slid into the seat next to hers. Lizzie grinned brightly as he put an arm around her shoulder, and invited Will into the car as well. Grumbling slightly, Will stepped into the car, and slid around to the other side of the Limo. Charlotte scrambled down the steps, and flew into the car right as her husband came huffing after her. As she slammed the car door shut, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Move, move, move!! Let's get this thing rolling, people!" _

_"I've been fine, just a little tired. I stayed up late." Lizzie said nonchalantly and looked out of the window as they pulled away. _

_"Don't think about me too much, it would make anyone stay up late at night." Blaise said with a wink. Charlotte busted into fits of laughter, Lizzie smirked and smacked him on the arm, and Will glared straight at him with a vengeance. _

_"Will, mate, what's wrong?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow. Will shifted uncomfortably for a moment, and shrugged. _

_"Nothing, I just didn't sleep much either." he muttered as he pulled a drink out of the refrigerator. _

_"Will… I'm your cousin! And I'm an all English male… you shouldn't stay up late at night thinking of me, what will other people think?" Blaise asked as he stifled a laugh when Will's face went a bright red. Lizzie smothered a large grin as he looked like he was about to commit murder. _

_"It's ok, Will, we'll turn away so there are no witnesses." Lizzie said as she covered her eyes. Will turned and looked at her before giving a soft smile. _

_"You don't have to kill me!" Blaise said in mock horror, and then pulled his cousin over to the window in between the driver and the passengers to look as if they were checking the route. _

_"What's wrong with you? The youth of today sick or something?" He asked as he began pointing frivolously with his hand. _

_"There's a theme going on here." Will muttered as he pointed the driver in the correct direction. _

_"And what's that?" _

_"Youth gone jealous." Will ground out as he glared at his cousin pointedly. Blaise raised a hand in mock surrender. _

_"Make a move on her, and you don't have to worry about me, mate." Blaise said brightly before he turned around, and scrambled back to Lizzie._

_**"Share with me the blankets that you're wrapped in,**_

_**Because it's cold outside,**_

_**And I feel so nice**_

_**When I'm**_

_**Wrapped up in your smiles **_

_**And they're warming me**_

_**And I**_

_**Can't help but feel**_

_**Like I **_

_**Could spend the rest of my life with you…" **_

Lizzie smiled as she saw him looking right at his girlfriend as he sang softly into the microphone. She closed her eyes and swayed slightly as he strummed along, and as she swayed, Lizzie felt strong arms wrap themselves around her waist, and she leaned into a defined chest. A small burning feeling warmed the pit of her stomach, and she sighed contently.

"You like this song?" He asked as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. Lizzie smiled and nodded towards the girl with amusement.

"I'm sure she's enjoying it more than I ever could." She replied. She didn't know Blaise had such a sweet voice to listen to, but he seemed so different than before, and she liked him even better this way. Before, his touch had sent butterflies, and now, it sent shivers up her spine, and her skin burned.

"And why's that?" He asked as he swayed with her. Now, he seemed so mellow, and so laid back that it made her wonder if he was stoned. Whatever the difference was, it was working wonders on her. She felt the need to touch him, so she rested her hands on his arms, and traced the slight veins under his skin.

"Every girl wants a guy to sing to them; to have him take the time, and use his energy to write the lyrics, think the music, and play it for her, and only her is something any girl would die for." She said as she leaned her head back to the hollow of his throat. It felt so nice just to be held by him, and she liked the way just his arms around her made her feel so alive.

_**"I can't believe that your simple touch**_

_**Could make the world seem crystal clear**_

_**And your words in my ear**_

_**Send shivers up my spine**_

_**But you're falling asleep**_

_**And it's making me think**_

_**That…" **_

"Even you'd want that?" He asked as he smelled her hair. He loved the way that her scent alone could intoxicate him, even if he was barely touching her. It was a sweet smell, but at the same time, a slightly sharper smell that made his thoughts muddled with nothing but her.

"Of course. It's something special that anyone would cherish." Lizzie whispered as she stared up at the singer who looked like he was about to pull his girlfriend onto the stage with him.

"_**I couldn't live**_

_**I couldn't breathe**_

_**I couldn't be**_

_**Anything without your love**_

_**And I know I mess up**_

_**And I know I'm stupid**_

_**But just the thought of lying here close to you**_

_**Makes me smile…"**_

"What do you dream about?" He inquired softly as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Just that touch sent her heart into cardiac arrest, and she sucked in a breath of air. Why was he asking so many questions? Still, just the fact that he was talking with her let her know that it wasn't to tease her. She could tell by his voice that he really wanted to know.

"_**I don't deserve you**_

_**But here you are**_

_**Standing with me**_

_**My arms around you**_

_**You're leaning into me**_

_**And, just your touch **_

_**Makes it**_

_**So I can't breathe**_

_**My blood's on fire**_

_**My**_

_**Heart is screaming**_

_**And you're**_

_**Simply oblivious**_

_**To what you do, to me**_

_**So…"**_

"I dream about being able to live without help from anyone." Lizzie stated as she swayed. Her blood felt like a liquid metal in her veins, and it was simply from his arms around her? Impossible that one man could have such an effect on her! But yet, here she stood, and she liked it immensely.

"Do you plan on a serious relationship? Do you plan on having a husband support you?" He asked persistently. Lizzie raised an eyebrow at the innuendo that was being blatantly made, but answered the questions anyway.

"Of course that's nice, but I don't want to rely on him. I want to stand on my own." She stated firmly.

"_**I couldn't live**_

_**I couldn't breathe**_

_**I couldn't be**_

_**Anything without your love**_

_**And I know I mess up**_

_**And I know I'm stupid**_

_**But just the thought of lying here close to you**_

_**Makes me smile…"**_

"What if someone wanted to stand with you, and support you?" He breathed as his lips fluttered over her neck. "Would you ever let him treat you like he wanted to, and like you deserve?" As he spoke, his words ghosted over her neck, and she leaned back a little more as she stifled a slight moan.

"_**And the night is cryin'**_

_**And the moon is shinin'**_

_**And I'm just here dyin'**_

_**So ease my pain, **_

_**Just **_

_**Kiss**_

_**Me…"**_

Lizzie struggled to find words. Her thoughts were running rampant, and she felt out of control. She thought that if she tried to say anything, she'd end up making an even bigger fool of herself. Even if she wanted to reply, she wasn't sure if she could even think of the words to reply with.

"No answer?" He asked softly as he grazed her collarbone gently. She took a deep breath to steady herself, but still couldn't answer.

"_**I couldn't live**_

_**I couldn't breathe**_

_**I couldn't be**_

_**Anything without your love**_

_**And I know I mess up**_

_**And I know I'm stupid**_

_**But just the thought of lying here close to you**_

_**Makes me smile…"**_

"How are you two doing?" Blaise asked as he walked up in front of Lizzie. Lizzie's eyes flew open suddenly, and she realized that the one holding her was not Blaise Fitzwilliam. In fact…

"Will?" Lizzie whispered incredulously. Turning around, she saw his deep blue eyes staring down at her in that pleading way she had seen so many times and she couldn't bring herself to pull away. She found she liked his touch too much to back away from it.

_**"It makes me smile…"**_

"I'll leave you two alone then." Blaise said as he tossed a wink in Will's direction before sauntering off. Will smiled down at her in that nervous way, and whispered something she didn't understand fully. It sounded a lot like the lyrics to the song that was playing, but she couldn't be sure. She was still too mesmerized by the deep blue eyes that stared at her so intently.

"_**It makes me… smile."**_

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**Ok, so I got all the way to eight pages, so I kept my word! YAY ME! And he's been staring and slaving away for her attention way too much for him to back out now. Aint love just grand!!?? Review soon, and I will oblige you with another chapter. Haha, and I made that song up, isn't life grand? Tell me what you think.**


	18. Billiards SUCK

**Ok, sorry guys, but this chapter is most likely going to be short. It has to be if I'm going to make any cliffhangers worth while! Even if it's cliché. And just so you guys know, that wasn't the proposal. I'm not exactly sure what you'd call that for the book or the movie… I think we should say that that chapter was a stroll through the gardens mixed with the nephews visiting at the cottage. Sorry, but the proposal comes soon, I promise! Also, thanks for the positive reviews that I've gotten! I thought you guys would hate me forever since the 16****th**** chapter, but you guys have faith in me! that makes me so happy! Enjoy! … Though, you're probably not going to enjoy it… **

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Will smiled down at Lizzie as she walked along the garden path. After some small argument about which path to take, he had finally agreed that the scenery in this one was much better. No use making his girl annoyed over a simple choice.

Maybe it would be best if I told you what happened after the concert. Will had pulled her aside, and apologized for what he had done in New York City, but if she wanted, he'd like to get to know her even more. To his surprise (and hers), she said she'd be perfectly fine with that, and a date was made for the next day.

Lizzie took a deep breath as she smiled into the sun. Everything was so scenic here, and it was easy to forget her chaotic mind for a few moments. Of course, the chaos was completely Will Darcy. Why did she say she wanted to get to know him? Why did she let him hold her afterwards? Why did she now walk along the path with the most arrogant man she'd ever met? Why did it matter?

Of course, she was still basing her thoughts on everything he'd said and done in Brooklyn and New York City. Even when he apologized, it seemed as if he just wanted to get it over with, and Lizzie wanted apologies to be straightforward and sincere. His seemed much more like the hurried; let's get this over with type.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked as he watched her brow furrow as she concentrated on something. The sun brought amazing red highlights out in her hair, and her eyes sparkled brightly as she walked with her arms behind her head.

"Oh… um…" Lizzie struggled to find words. She knew saying she was thinking about his character wouldn't bode well, so she tried to think of something else. "I was just thinking how far away Charlotte lived from us. It was a 5 hour drive, after all."

"And what's a 5 hour drive of a straight, scenic road? I thought that you two lived pretty close." He replied in all astonishment. He was used to his jet's 10 hour flights, and even two day flights with stops for check ups and of course, gas.

"Well, it was a lot of gas, and for most of us, it's a pretty long time to gush over dead grass and grey asphalt." Lizzie teased lightly as she picked up a couple of flowers, and began twining them together.

"So that's your mindset? Anything not within an hour drive or so of Brooklyn or your family is far away?" He asked lightly as he watched her pick up more flowers. Seeing a large tree, he led her over to it, and sat down as she crossed her legs on the large roots that showed themselves slightly above ground.

"I never said that! I'm just saying, Charlotte and I have been friends for a long time, and we've never really been this far away from each other." she said all too quickly for Will to take as normal. Lizzie blanched at the thought of living anywhere near her mother when she married, and Will caught the action.

"You wouldn't always want to live in Brooklyn? You don't plan on staying there when you marry?" He inquired as he leaned in closely to her. Lizzie's eyes widened as the cool scent of peppermint and soap washed over her senses. Suddenly, Will backed away slightly, and stood up.

"What time is it?" He asked all too quickly. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, but told him anyway. No use in riling him up when he was actually being friendly.

"Oh, I have an important business meeting with my aunt. I'm very sorry, Lizzie, but I have to go… Can I see you later?" he added desperately as he looked down at her. Lizzie couldn't help but feel a smile tug at the edges of her lips, but she restrained it, and nodded.

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Will cursed as he hit the cue ball with gusto. He had nearly come close to saying something he didn't want to. He had nearly come close to saying she would never have to live close to her family if she married him. Who would say something like that when things were going so nicely? With a curse, he remembered the small smile that had ghosted her face as he began to walk away.

So she knew the effect she had on him! She knew that her look alone bewitched him without reason! Cursing, he watched as the 8 ball sunk into the left corner pocket.

"How's it going?" Blaise asked as he walked into the room. He saw Will snort as he took a drink of some water, and raised an eyebrow.

"There's a theme going on here." Will said simply as he racked the balls again, and broke them.

"And what theme's today?" Blaise asked with enthusiasm.

"Youth gone brainless." He muttered angrily as he sunk three balls at once.

"Seems like you're distracted, mate." Blaise said mischievously. After seeing them getting so close, Blaise knew his work here was done. He had given the space, and Will gave the love. He loved when his plans worked out that way. It made him feel greedy all over.

"I am." Will replied shortly, and took a drink. Blaise grinned, and laughed right out.

"Of course you are! You've been with, La Bennett!" he said brightly. Will glowered at him, but had to laugh at the bright smile he gave off.

"I made a fool of myself with La Bennett." He said angrily as he reverted back to the moments with her.

"Will…" Blaise said softly as he grabbed a pool stick. "Are you ever going to tell Lizzie about what you did to her sister?"

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Lizzie walked up to the doors of the large house and opened the door as she searched hopefully for Blaise. He had said earlier that morning that it was better if they were friends, and after the whole concert scene, Lizzie had already come to that conclusion.

Peeking into the game room, she saw the tell-tale signs of two people playing pool. She was about to walk in happily when she heard something that stopped her in her tracks.

"Will… are you ever going to tell Lizzie about what you did to her sister?" Blaise asked in serious tone. It was the first time she had heard him talk seriously to anyone, and the tone alone made her blood run cold. Then, the words registered in her mind, and she almost fell over. What did he do to her sister?

"I don't know what you're talking about." Will said harshly as she heard the sound of drinks pouring.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Blaise's voice cut through the air like a whip, and Lizzie took a step back in surprise. "You broke apart Charlie and Jane because you thought that she was a gold digger and a fake. Are you ever going to tell her what you did? She told me a little bit about how Jane suffered. She was house stricken for more than a bloody month, and even then she stayed in bed and watched sappy romances most of the time. Lizzie thought her sister was about to go into a serious depression. Someone who suffers that much from some guy obviously isn't a gold digger, shouldn't you know that?" She heard so much vehemence from his words alone that it took time to register what he said. When the words sunk in, Lizzie stifled a gasp of indignation, and leaned in even more to catch Will's reply. When she heard it, it was low and soft, and it made her suddenly angrier than she had ever felt in her entire life.

"I don't deny it, I don't regret it, and I'm never going to tell her." He said harshly, and turned his back on his cousin. Lizzie's jaw dropped at his words, and she couldn't help but gasp. Blaise looked up from the pool table, and realized someone was there. Will still hadn't heard; he was too lost in his thoughts.

Lizzie backed up slowly, and tried not to barge in and address the situation. Her shock at the moment was far greater than her anger. She stopped walking for a moment, whirled around and sprinted out of the house at a speed that would have brought a coach to his knees in surprise.

_You separated Charlie from Jane because you thought she was a gold digger and a fake. _Lizzie's mind went numb as she thought the words in surprise. Why would anyone think her sister was a gold digger? Why would anyone do that to someone so smart, kind, and loving? Anger boiled in the pit of her stomach, and she ran harder. The thing that made her the most angry though, was not Blaise's account for it, but Will Darcy's reply.

_"I don't deny it, I don't regret it, and I'm never going to tell her." _

Lizzie ran harder as she tasted something metallic in her mouth. She realized that she had bit her cheek so hard it was bleeding, but at that moment she didn't care. At that moment, only one conclusion was circulating her head, and she ran to the beat of the statement.

According to her, Will Darcy was the most arrogant, conceited, proud, lying man she had ever met, and nothing he did would ever change that.

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**Ok, so yes, that was really short. But now, we can get to the sad part. Sorry if you still see a circle, but I'm working on a killer chapter right now so that the circle running will be at an end. Keep reading!! And oh yeah, you guys are the best. Thanks so much for all of your support! This is technically my first good story (the others suck horribly… too dramatic, they can never settle down… ugh…) so to get this much support from it really helps! Keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing!**

**Your humble writer,**

**Death-Cab-4-Cutie**

**P.S. - If you haven't noticed, I update faster when you guys review faster. The more reviews I get, the faster I update. Horrible, but you have to admit that it works! If I get 20 or more reviews after posting this, I'll update the same day I reach 20! Don't think I'm horrible, think of it as a gentle nudging!**


	19. Prevailed upon to Marry?

**There's something in this story that I've borrowed from the story, Mr. Darcy's Diary. It's the part where he begins to write the letter, and scratched stuff out and tried to find the right words. That idea came from the story, Mr. Darcy's Diary. It was a very good book; I think you should read it! Apparently though, I've also had other parts like the story, (I don't know where, they just said that I had parts like the story) so to stop people from thinking it's all mine, I supposedly have parts from the story too. Not mine. **

**Also, I'm going to be gone for camp this week, so I've decided to post this now. ALSO, this chapter hasn't been edited by a beta!! There might be a lot of mistakes or a little bit of them. Please keep that in mind, and just enjoy! I've worked hard on this one, so I hope you like it!!! I posted without a beta because I didn't want you guys to have to wait for it, and she hasn't sent the chapter to me, so this is the unrevised one. I hope you like it!**

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Lizzie glared up at the thunder heads that threatened to spill at any moment. It was almost as if they were waiting for her to lose her temper so that they could lose their tears. Running blindly, she kept going until she found herself at the doors of Charlotte's house. Charlotte and Collins had been out at work all day in the gardens, pruning the weeds, and clipping the trees. That was Collins job, and he often made Charlotte come along for the ride. It was another reason she was glad for not marrying him.

Lizzie paced back and forth on the elaborate rug Collins had said not to walk on with shoes. Lizzie ground her foot into it, just for good measure. Still, the same scenery of the bright and cheery home contrasted with her mood, and with the darkening sky that threatened to spill with a peal of rolling thunder.

How dare he separate her sister and Charlie? He had no right, the proud way he acted, the sickeningly arrogant raised eyebrow at her intelligence. How dare he split people up, again?! He seemed to be good at that, first his sister and Jack, and then her sister and his friend! Really, it would have been funny, if it wasn't happening to her sister. Jane was the sweetest, nicest person she had ever met, why did she deserve to be broken hearted just because Darcy was?

This contradicted the very way he acted when they were both in New York City. He had been very polite there, and had been able to hold decent conversations without insult! He had even kissed… no, Lizzie wasn't allowed to think about that… but this… this crossed the line. It was straight from his cousin's mouth, why wouldn't it be true?

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Will looked at the door with alarm as he heard one slam closed. Glancing at Blaise with alarm, he saw his cousin's carefully composed face as something to be cautious of.

"I think you should tell her." He said softly as he hit the q-ball. Will glared, but said nothing. He had Lizzie right where he wanted her, why would he say something to go back to the board? He knew she couldn't resist him, why would he do something that would make him resistible?

Really, he knew she was in too deep for herself, and now was the time to pounce. Whether it is going steady, or a damned marriage, he was tired of chasing her! He had her for now, but who's to say Blaise wouldn't sabotage his plans later? Better to catch her now, and relax later.

Who would say no to him, anyway? It wasn't as if she had found out anything that would condemn him in her eyes forever.

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Getting sick of the same scenery of the fireplace, the rug, and the window, Lizzie tore out of the house angrily, and walked quickly. Just as she stepped outside, the lightening struck the sky, and after the thunder boomed in a raucous reply, the heavens opened, and the tears fell forth from the sky. Right onto the poor, angry Lizzie.

"Oh, of course! Of course! Why would it wait?" She snapped angrily and stomped down the winding trail behind the house. Glaring at the sky, Lizzie took any route her feet wanted. She was quickly drenched in mud and rain. It was a very bad storm, and the whipping wind was proof of that.

There was no right! He had no justification for it, and nothing was right about it! None of it made sense, and all it succeeded in doing was making her angrier. She lividly sloshed through the mud, and stomped her way to a weeping willow. The rain tapped mockingly at her as she stepped through the overhang. Lizzie paced back and forth, her eyes blurring slightly as she wiped tears away.

Every good thought was dislodged from her mind about him. Every kind moment or nice feeling she ever had was instantly forgotten as she remembered and brought up every stupid, bad thing that he had done. Really, it felt like she was going in circles, and she couldn't even help where she was going. It wasn't right! Every time she was about to change her opinion about him, he went around and did something then times worse than before!

Her sister had suffered. Her sister had suffered for weeks on end, months even, before having the courage to walk outside without crying when she saw something that reminded her of him. Jane had cried at night when she thought no one could hear, and she ate some damn fattening ice cream, just trying to move on. Jane was sweet, she was shy, she was slightly fragile, and Will had left her to the dogs because of his damn pride.

Lizzie leaned against the tree trunk, glad that the branches were so thick that she didn't get even wet. That was his problem! He didn't care about anything! He only cared about his title, and his money. He was the most selfish, stupid, arrogant, prideful, conceited, vain man she had ever met, and he-

-was standing right in front of her; the wide eyed stare was back in his eyes. Lizzie hated those pretty eyes that always looked at her as if he was pleading her for something, even when he was insulting her, those eyes had always held her, and made her feel dazed. They both stood there for a few moments, waiting for the other one to say something. Lizzie felt anger bubbling in her stomach, and she resented his awkward silences.

"It's weird seeing how you're dressed." She commented as she took in a white t-shirt and a button up over it. His jeans were ragged and worn looking and he sported Nike's new pair of shoes. "Yeah… the ragged look is interesting… you know… 'cuz you're usually in your- look, what do you want?" She pursed her lips as she raised an eyebrow, challenging his silence. Swinging her hands back and forth, she waited for an answer, but she wasn't surprised when he still didn't respond.

"Good god, if you came all the way over here to just to gawk at me like I'm a freak, then you could've done that when-" Lizzie was cut off abruptly as he crossed the space between them, and put a finger to her lips. Lizzie stopped talking altogether, and stared at him with questioning eyes. He removed his finger, and simply cupped her face delicately as he stared at her in that expecting way.

"_**I couldn't live**_

_** I couldn't breath**_

_** I couldn't be**_

_**Anything without your love**_

_**And I know I mess up**_

_**And I know I'm stupid**_

_**But just the thought of lying here close to you**_

_**Makes me smile…"**_ He sang softly as he stared deep into her eyes. It was as if he was trying to pull the thoughts right from her mind, and she couldn't think coherently to stop it.

Lizzie's mind was going haywire at his touch. She could hardly believe the guy she had moments before been mentally railing against was now touching her, and she wasn't doing anything! Lizzie pushed him away, and glared at him with vehemence.

"What's your problem?" She snapped as she walked away from him, and she began walking towards the small cottage she had found earlier that day. It must have been the gardener's hut or something because it had all living arrangements, including a refrigerator and cable television. She felt the rain pelting her, and in annoyance, she burst into a jog, trying to get out of the rain faster.

Through the noise of thunder and the rushing sound of the rain, Lizzie didn't hear Will following her with a determined step. As she stepped into the wooden building, the damp air reached her and she paced furiously. She took a mid-step whirl around, and slammed right into a wall. Wait, that wall hadn't been there moments ago…

"Good god Darcy! Quite sneaking up on me like-"

Instead of silencing her with his finger, Will pressed his lips to hers in order to silence her. Lizzie took a sharp intake of breath as she felt a tender passion in his touch as he cupped her face and stroked her cheek softly. He slowly roamed her face with his hands as he felt her smooth skin, and ran a hand through her wet hair. His blood was on fire, and he couldn't help but run a finger down the length of her side as he desperately poured his feelings out in his kiss.

Lizzie's reaction was strange for her. Instead of pushing him away like her mind commanded, she kissed back after she got over her initial shock, and pressed herself against him, his skin lighting hers with a feeling of mercury in her veins. She could almost moan as he pulled away and began pressing urgent butterfly like kisses down her neck, and collarbone before meeting his lips back with hers.

Lizzie ran a hand through his hair that he was always tugging at, and smiled slightly. His hair was thick, wet, gorgeous, who could resist his hair? It was sleek and soft, and she just wanted to play with it. Her eyes fluttered open as she heard a small groan in the back of his throat.

Will couldn't help himself. Really, there was no reason for his action, but the thought of her kissing him back, and her caress so soft, he wanted the skin underneath the clothes that kept her still blocked from him. Even with him holding her so close, it still wasn't enough contact. With a groan, he pulled her shirt off smoothly, and was surprised when Lizzie obliged him, and jerked his buttoned one off too. Will took off his white shirt as well, and repressed a groan as she ran a hand down his chest, his muscles tensing involuntarily as she ran kisses up his neck, and twined her fingers through his hair.

Lizzie could feel the cool breath of his on her neck as she caressed his tanned skin with appreciation. Will took a breath as he couldn't take the insanity anymore. His desires taking over him, he picked her up, feeling her skin against his, and laid her on the couch. Lizzie ran a hand over his shoulder, and pulled him closer, her eyes sparkling as she met her lips back with his.

The connection was a death sentence. Passion tore at her chest, and Lizzie pulled his body closer to hers, desire taking over. Will obliged her, and pressed urgent kisses along her chest as he stroked her side slowly, gently. Lizzie met his lips again, and had to have more. Moaning in the back of his throat, Will then whispered her name softly.

That was when it turned bad. Lizzie found that he was tugging at her zipper to her pants, and realization struck through her like a lightening bolt._ This is WILL DARCY. You HATE him. Lizzie, what are you doing? He's a_ _boy, on a couch, and kissing a girl… I'M that girl… __**bad… very bad**_, she thought incoherently.

With a slight gasp, she pushed him off of her, the icy glare back in her eyes. Will stumbled back blindly, and stood in the dark room; looking at her, still not registering what was happening. Lizzie stood up too, and paced. Lizzie pressed her hands to her temples, muttering as she paced, "That so did not just happen… please tell me that that didn't happen."

"Lizzie, let me explain… I didn't mean for it to go that far…" He said with a slight worry in his voice. Lizzie blanched as she realized that her shirt was discarded to the floor.

"Oh shit." She groaned in horror, and grabbing it, pulling it back on; Goosebumps rising as the damp shirt touched her skin.

"Will… please tell me… that that there… that that didn't happen. That's all I ask. Please tell me that we weren't… there… about to… oh hell."

"Lizzie…" Will said hoarsely, "please… please let me tell you how much I…" His voice faltered slightly. With a groan, he ran his hands through his hair, "These past months have been tormenting me to no end. I followed you here just for the idea of being able to see you… "

"I don't understand, what are you-"

"I- I love you. Most ardently!" He interrupted in a panicked voice, and it felt good just to tell her. Just to let her know. He wanted to pour his thoughts out to her; he wanted to let her know how long he had inwardly suffered and fought to get away from it. He couldn't stand the look of utter shock on her face.

"I'm not ignorant of your flirtatious silly sister, Lydia, or her evil twin, Kitty. I know how your father can not curb the anti-social Mary, and the fact that your ranking in life is far below mine. Though I'm going against my family's expectations I don't care! I know that I'm pulling you into higher society, I've tried to forget you, but it will not do! I can't understand why I like you, but I do! There's no reason to, and I don't understand it! I'm terribly new at this, and I've never felt this way before… I can't rest well unless you settle my anxieties, please, Elizabeth, would you do me the honor of marrying me? I don't think I would bear life without you there beside me. Really, the way I feel makes me burn."

Lizzie was quiet. He stepped closer to her, but she raised a hand to stop him. Her other hand was placed against her temple, and she was trying to stem the thoughts running through her mind. Will Darcy… loved her? He had loved her for months, and kept silent about all of it? The very thought was breathtaking. If she hadn't been in certain company, she would have laughed. Poor Caroline Bingley!

But then, she thought of it… of him. He was arrogant! What a prideful man!

"… I think that some people would have… been happy that you told them that. I suppose that they would be delighted that they had cracked the hard exterior to you. I'm not one of them. I've never liked you… and never desired your attraction. But that's not to be blamed; after all, you've made it clear I don't deserve you." She said the last part bitterly, and glared at him accusingly. "I don't understand how one moment you can kiss me, the next insult me, and then ask me to marry you. I don't see how you think that that would give me the impulse to say yes. We haven't even gone out, and your sentiments have never been made known until now." Will was silent, shock clear on his features.

"This… this is your answer then." He stated the obvious as he jammed his hands in his pockets. Lizzie nodded slightly, and folded her arms, waiting if his temper would explode or not. "You're laughing at me?" he asked with a tinge of anger in his voice.

"No."

"But you're rejecting me." He said angrily, a flame starting to burn in his eyes. It was a statement, not a question.

"What makes you think I'd accept someone who tells me I'm below them, my family's insane, and they liked me against their better judgment, and against their own character!? You know, if I was some uncivil person, I wouldn't be so angered by it, or are you saying that's what I am?" She asked as resentment floated into her tone, her eyes flashing.

"No, please, I don't think that at all! I don't think you're uncivil, and you can't say that you didn't feel that! That… passion, you can not tell me that you didn't desire it? That it didn't feel right? And if you hated me so much, why did you go so far with me?" He protested angrily.

"You think I'd accept someone that separated my sister from the one person she was completely in love with? She suffered because of your damn pride! She was in love with him, and you ruined her! Are you crazy or something?" She demanded as she took a step towards him, her accusation sending a shock through Will. How did she know about that?

"I assure you, I am not crazy. I don't deny separating them, I was aware of her motives. Also, I didn't want Bingley ruined by your family. Do you think society would accept her with your family backing her up?"

"You were willing to take the risk." Lizzie hissed as she took another step towards him.

"I was much kinder to my friend than I was to myself." He stated in reply to her words. Eyes wide with fury, Lizzie raised a hand, and backhanded him. His head snapped to the left, and a red mark was already gracing his handsome features. Will's face remained impassive, but his emotions were haywire. He would've been ten times angrier if he hadn't looked back at her and seen the utmost fury gracing her face. Every look she gave him burned him. He just wanted to touch her, just to make sure she was not smoldering in her own anger, but he knew she would smack him if he dared.

"But I hated you before then. I heard your real character from Jack Wickham himself." Lizzie said the name, and Darcy flinched. Him again! Why was he back every time something came close to right? Lizzie didn't know why she said that… she wasn't even sure if she believed all of it.

"You seem interested in his 'misfortunes'." Darcy said as he took a step towards her, his breath chilling her.

"I've heard what you did to him." She said angrily.

"What I did to him?" The question was thrown in the argument.

"Yes, what you did to him. How could you ruin him like that?" Lizzie asked as she glared. Darcy raised a hand, and for a moment, she was scared he was about to smack her. Lizzie watched as his hand was drug through his hair, and then swung back to his side. Lizzie glanced back to him; trying to dispel the icy feeling she had felt when he raised his hand.

Will saw the panic in her eyes as he dug his hand through his wet hair in frustration. The panic had subsided when he jammed his hand into his pocket, and he realized why she looked so worried.

"What did you think I was going to do, hit you?" He cried out in surprise, flinching slightly as his own words slapped him in the face.

"No, of course not! You think I'm afraid of you? How wrong you are, Darcy. Not everyone cowers before you. You're not better than anyone else." Lizzie said hurriedly, and turned away, her frustration and worry plain on her face. She had never been hit before by someone, but she had heard it from Darcy himself that he couldn't vouch for his anger, so why shouldn't she worry about it?

"I don't hit women! Why would you think that? I would never think to do that! Is that how you think of me, someone who hits women for pleasure?" Will demanded, hating the way she looked when she turned. Why would she think he would hit her? In no way was he like that, surely she should know that!

"Had you behaved in other places as a gentleman, no one would ever have that thought. It was even before Jack that your character was sprung to me. You are the most prideful, arrogant, snobbish, rude, conceited prat that I've ever met! In no way would I ever like you, and you are the very last man I could ever be prevailed upon to marry!" Lizzie stated in an icy voice. She turned around to gauge his reaction. Will was simply standing there, surprise on every line in his face. It was then that she regretted her words. The hurt was evident on his face, and she stepped towards him, wanting to take it back. Will took a step towards her, and they were so close, they could have kissed again if they wanted. His breath chilled her face, and Lizzie shivered.

"Then… then I am horribly sorry to have wasted your time and your patience." He breathed into her ear. They stood there for awhile; each one wanting to kiss the other, but both afraid of what would happen. The silence was deafening, and Lizzie wanted just to close the distance between them, just to stop the emotion building in her chest. The emotion itself was enough to make panic spread through her torso as she realized she just wanted that burning feeling to spread through her again. She wanted him to touch her. After insulting him roundly to his face, she wanted him to touch her softly like he had done moments before. What was wrong with her?

Unable to take the silence, Will leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips one last time. He vowed to not see her again, and this time he meant it. As he pulled away, he gauged her reaction, and saw that she looked hurt about something. Her eyes weren't sparkling like he wanted them to be, but maybe she looked too angry at his action to do anything. With an inaudible groan, he took a step, then another, and walked away, slamming the door unintentionally, and he walked away, vowing never to look back; if he did, he might go back to her and apologize for everything.

Lizzie stood in the small cottage, stunned. His words spread through her mind like a poison, and it threatened to take over her senses. He… loved her? Will Darcy loved Lizzie? How could he, the most emotionless –unless you counted disdain and anger as valid emotion- person alive like, no, love someone? How is it that he had loved her for so long, but chose to ignore it just because of her birth in life? He shied away from it just because of her family, her rank in life, her money, and her. The pain of his words against her choked her like a vice, and she sunk down onto the floor, momentarily too shocked to do anything.

But, his kiss was so real. Something so lit with passion, something so lit with love, but he still reviled who she was as a person? His touch was so gentle, his eyes caressing her… it was insane. Lizzie numbly touched her lips. They were warm and she almost flinched at her words that lashed out at him so angrily. She hadn't meant to have Wickham jump into the argument like that. She was simply angry, and the first thing that had jumped to mind was him.

His words though… they were uncalled for! No one had the right to shred every horrible detail about someone, and then ask them to marry them! It was stupid, and tactless! His pride had gotten in the way of his love. That simply showed that he had more pride than love for someone. Lizzie was slightly put out that he still couldn't get over something like that, even for love.

"Insufferable…" She muttered as she pulled her knees up to her chin, and sat there, still too stunned to move. She stayed right where she was, trying to decipher everything that had happened between them ever since he had walked into her life. It was no surprise to her that it didn't make sense.

----- -----

Will walked blindly through the rain, his expression pained. He couldn't believe, he didn't want to believe, that after all of the pain, denial, and suffering he had been through, she had denied him! After countless nights thinking back on a simple look she had given him to get him to fall asleep, he had been shot down. Not only shot down, but kicked when he fell! Will didn't understand, he wasn't sure if he wanted to. It drove him crazy that he didn't know why, even though her words stuck in his mind.

"You are the last man in the world that I could ever be prevailed upon to marry." He whispered as he walked past the tree where he had first lost control. With an inward groan, he burst into a run, trying to get away from his denial, from his pain. No matter how hard he ran, he couldn't get away from it.

"I will never have her." He hissed softly to himself as he reached the small porch. "I don't deserve her."

Just sitting there as he watched the rain, Will hardly realized that he was numb with pain. For moments on end, he had felt that horrible ripping of his heart and it had hurt worse than actually being physically hurt. Now though… it was just numb. He couldn't even feel his heart beating, and he worried that he was dying. But no, as he jerked from his stupor, the pain came rushing back.

"Death wouldn't be this painful…" He mused as he looked down at his hands. Touching his lips softly, he tried to imagine what it would be like if she had accepted him. If she had said yes, and actually mean it. With a soft groan of mortal terror, he realized he shouldn't think like that. It would only hurt worse.

Why would someone lead another on like that? Why would she dare bring into the situation that he was no gentleman? In every way, shape, and form he was a gentleman! How dare she flit into his life like a dream, and snatch away his fantasy when he was hoping for so much! How could someone do that?

He had meant every word he had said! With a groan, he put his hands to his head and shook it. It was then that he registered that he was shirtless, and hopeless. He didn't mean what he said. He never wanted to insult her. And look what happened when he did! Now, she didn't want anything to do with him!

"The last man…" He whispered softly as he ran a hand through his hair. He then stopped as he remembered the way she had played with his hair. Good god, would this never end?

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Lizzie looked at the clock above the TV. It was starting to get late, and she needed to go. She had been there for more than an hour, just sitting there. It wasn't that she couldn't leave; she could if she wanted to. She didn't want to break the spell the walls had built around her, and she was still numb with hurt and anger.

His words still reverberated around her head, and the strong thumping of the rain on the walls didn't ease her in any way. With a groan, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and sat there, thinking.

Why would he tell her he loved her, and then tell her she wasn't good enough? Did it mean that he cared, but not enough? Did it mean that he believed himself better than her, and wished her to know that? Who could insult someone, and then tell them that they wanted to marry? Why would anyone go to the trouble? Who could be so arrogant?

That question, at least, was simply to answer. He could. Mr. William Darcy could.

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Will stood up from the porch, and walked up the long steps to the back door of the house. Stepping inside, he walked quietly to the room he was staying in, and fell onto the bed unceremoniously. He lay face first, and tried to get her face out of his head. Her burning eyes and whiplash comments made him want to fidget and deny it, but he knew he couldn't. He had to find a way to tell her everything that happened, but especially Wickham. The fact that she had pulled him into the argument made his blood boil.

But why should it matter? She made it clear she liked Wickham more than she liked him! Better to let her take that damn man back, and have her heart broken so she knew how it felt! But no, he couldn't live with himself if that ever happened. Just knowing he had left her with the dog made his veins threaten to explode.

She should know what happened with everything. She should be warned against it. But how? She most likely wouldn't want to talk to him now. A letter! That's how he could tell her!

"Hey, how'd it go?" Blaise asked as he walked into the room with a smile. When he saw Will laying face down on his bed, he knew something didn't go right.

"What happened?" He demanded as he sat on the bed. "Is there another theme today?"

"Youth gone amok." Will's muffled voice through the bed sheets said in a pained tone.

"Good god, you slept with her?!" Blaise exclaimed as he jumped up from the bed in an instant second.

"NO! She rejected my hand in marriage." He muttered as he rolled over, and stared up at the ceiling in pain. Blaise stopped moving as soon as he heard this. Shock played across his features, and he sat back down instantly.

"What did you say to her?"

"The usual! You know, I love you, I want to be with you, and I told her about how I've struggled. She slapped me even… I don't even know why."

"Struggled… oh good gods mate, you didn't tell her about how you've tried not liking her! That's the number one thing not to do!" He snapped as he rolled onto his back, and tried not to abuse his cousin roundly.

"You think I don't know that now?" Will asked softly as he glared at his cousin. Blaise blanched as he realized the extent of his cousin's feelings.

"What else did you say that made her mad?"

"I told her about how she'd be brought into better standings, I told her that I was willing to put her insane family behind me, and how my family would think it was a disgrace." Will muttered as he turned over again. Blaise winced.

"You made a crack about her family?" He asked rhetorically. Will nodded, and Blaise winced slightly.

"That's one thing you never do. Every chick gets defensive about that." Blaise muttered, and Will groaned something that he couldn't quite catch.

"They're insane though." Will muttered as he stood up and paced.

"Yes, but some things are better left unsaid." Blaise whispered as he looked out of the window with remorse for his cousin.

"You have no idea how much I've grasped that concept." Will mumbled as he sat down in order to write his letter.

_Dear Elizabeth Bennett_-

Will scratched that out as he had no right to call her dear.

_Miss Bennett_-

That sounded an awful lot like her sister

_Elizabeth, you have charged me with_-

She will not read it!

_Please don't be afraid that this is another attempt at my offer that was so disgusting to you. I don't ask for anything but for you to read this, and believe in the words that I've written. I don't do this for my health, but your understanding._-

Better. Much better. But would it be enough?

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**Ok, now I'm teary eyed. That was the hardest to write, and so I hope you guys like it! The only way I'll know if you like it is if you… dun dun duuun… review:D and if I get enough, you'll have a chance to see the action afterwards. YAY ACTION! Not that kind though, she's still mad at him, remember?**


	20. Worse Than Before

**Ok guys, I'm back from camp!! I had soooo much fun, and a couple of things there gave me inspiration for oncoming stories! After this one's finished, I', going to keep up with Moonlight Sonata, but until then, you're stuck with this!! And THANKS SOOOO MUCH for all of your reviews! I was so happy when I came back today and checked my mail to see all of those reviews! You guys are soooo supportive, and it's been a blast writing for you guys! **

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Lizzie sat on the hard ground as the rain poured outside. She hadn't moved more than an inch since pulling her hair back. She felt a numb sort of pain that spread through her torso as she thought of his words. The words that started it all.

Were her sisters really that bad? Was her mother so silly, and Mary so strange that it put her in a position that people didn't want to fall in love with her? What did it matter that her father didn't reprimand his daughters? He obviously thought their mother did a very bad job... But were they so bad that no one wanted to like her? Would she really end up like an old maid (according to Collins) because she wasn't pretty enough?

Her thoughts swirled around and around, and she had no control. No matter how much it hurt to think about it, Lizzie had to conclude that she would end up an old maid because of her family. No one wanted to be united with whores, and socially inept people! Groaning softly as she stretched her muscles from their cramped positions, she laid back and glanced dully at the clock. It read 8:00 PM; was it still raining?

She looked around the room she sat in, and saw something that made her blood run cold. Will's discarded shirts lay in a crumpled heap, and just the desolate cloth made tears brim over her eyes and slide down her cheeks. Her low status and her family would be the death of her. No one wanted a social reject. William Darcy made that quite clear.

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Will leaned back and stretched his cramped muscles wearily. His cousin had since fallen asleep on his bed, but Will knew he wouldn't be able to sleep for a long time. When he dreamed, it had been of her. Then, when he thought he had a chance, he didn't mind too much. Now, it would be like acid burning a hole in his chest.

"Finished. And now to find the girl." He murmured softly and with a repressed yawn. His body was tired, but his mind was racing. "The last man…" He muttered while he stood up, then grabbing his jacket, he walked down the hall, and towards the rain.

He was pelted viciously when he reached the outdoors. It was like small needles, and the wind attempted to blow him over as he squinted, trying to find the right direction to her residence.

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Lizzie stood up suddenly when a bright light erupted into the small room from a lightening strike close by. Sure enough, the loud raucous blast of thunder followed immediately. Almost like she had a burning desire, Lizzie walked quickly out of the room, and into the pouring rain. Her eyes were blurry from her little crying session, but she could see clearly enough to know that she had no clue where exactly where she was. Stumbling slightly from her muscles that had fallen asleep, she walked stupidly along the path, hoping it would take her somewhere dry and safe.

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Will rang the doorbell boldly as he stamped his feet impatiently. The door creaked open slowly, and Will almost blanched as he saw the small little man beam up at him.

"Why, Mr. Darcy! It's a pleasure to see you here. What brings you to my humble abode, I wonder?" He asked as he stuck out a dirty hand from his gardening earlier that day.

"Where's Elizabeth Bennett?" He demanded as he looked anywhere but at the strange man with the watery eyes.

"I think she's still walking around. I don't really care much about what she's doing, just as long as dear Catherine doesn't find out she's out and about in the rain." He muttered the last part darkly; then closed the door in a surprised William Darcy's face.

"Where is she?" he muttered angrily as he set off into the rain, looking for the telltale sign of her bright t-shirt. He wasn't sure what he'd say when he saw her; he wasn't sure if he could help but kiss her. All that mattered was getting to her. That was the first step. Anything after that was still on the drawing board.

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Lizzie stumbled as she slipped in some mud and fell wearily to the ground. Rain swirled in streaks in the mud around her, and dumbly, Lizzie sat there. She felt slightly cold, and wrapped her arms around her, and leaned into the tree trunk behind her.

"_I've tried to forget you, but it will not do!" _she remembered his words, and shrunk away from the insult. Was she so repulsive that he didn't want to like her? Of course she was, he made that clear too! Grumbling slightly, she settled down deeper into the mud, and stewed.

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Will burst into the room of the cottage where everything had gone sour. The whole place looked dismal and empty, save for two shirts lying on the ground. Muttering under his breath about how hard it was to track someone down, he grabbed his shirts, and took them along with him.

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Lizzie took a deep breath, but coughed as she did so. It was very chilly outside, and the freezing rain did nothing to help. Shivering slightly, she pulled her legs closer, and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as she did so.

"_I can't understand why I like you, but I do!" _That's what he meant by it. He was repulsed by her because her personality was lacking, and he wanted someone alive, and stupid. He didn't want someone to challenge his thoughts and hold conversation! He wanted a simple girl who would be silent. He wanted a trophy wife, that's what he wanted!

"Stupid guy. You're going to end up cold and alone." She muttered, but failed to realize that at that moment she was the one who felt cold and she was utterly alone.

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Will began to panic. Being out in weather like this wasn't healthy, and the fact he couldn't find her was even worse.

_Why should I care? It's not like she'd like me if she knew I was worrying._ he thought snidely, but repressed it. She had claimed he was no gentleman! He would show her who the gentleman was!

Glancing through the rain, he saw a flash of white around the grey scenery. Walking towards it, he was both glad and sad that it was Lizzie sitting on the ground and brooding underneath a tree. Even sopping wet, she looked beautiful in a hurt sort of way. When he walked up, she didn't even glance up to see who it was. She kept staring at her shoes, at the ground, and at the pant legs of the man in front of her.

"You're going to get sick, you know." He said softly, gazing down at her sopping wet hair. Still, she didn't respond, and he began to grow itchy with worry.

"Don't get sick on my account." He pleaded softly while he scrunched down, and nudged her chin with his fingers. Glancing up angrily, Lizzie was about to snap at him, when he surprised both of them.

"If you're not going to get up and leave, than I'll help you." he said with a glint in his eyes. Lizzie held her breath as he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her into his arms easily. Smirking beside himself, he began walking quickly as he held her close to his body. She was freezing cold and her breath came out shakily. He noticed that she kept her eyes closed instead of looking into his. Still, just holding her sent his emotions on edge, and he felt that pain in his chest sear across his torso.

The walk back to the Collins' home was simply put… awkward. Lizzie was in a daze, and she didn't know what to do. Should she demand to be put down? She didn't know whether or not to scream in indignation, but either way, she felt weak. She couldn't control the shaking she felt, and she coughed hoarsely.

As Will kicked the door to the Collins' house open, he walked up the stairs, and still didn't seem to struggle with holding her. Lizzie knew that she was no simple 100 lbs, but he didn't seem to tire at all.

"Will you put me down?" She hissed as she finally got past the sudden mucus in her throat. With a grim smile, he dropped her unceremoniously onto her bed.

"Of course." He said with a false dignity that she instantly was pissed off about. What made him think he had the right to act like such an ass when he had insulted her roundly and expected happiness afterwards?

"You can leave now." Lizzie said harshly as she struggled to prop herself up on her elbows. Smirking, he dropped the letter onto her chest, and gave a grim nod of the head.

"Just read that, and you'll never see me again." He said softly, and for the first time in their interaction, Lizzie saw the hurt and pain in his eyes, so strong that she couldn't breathe for a moment. She knew she had hurt him, but not to this extent. Nodding dumbly, she stared at him, slack-jawed, and wide eyed for a few moments.

"You need to stay warm, and work on getting the cold out of your system. God bless you, Elizabeth." He whispered, and with a light, lingering kiss on the cheek, he left just as quickly he had come. Lizzie stood up suddenly, but fell back onto her bed as a wave of exhaustion took over. Feeling very tired, and sick, she crawled under her covers, and fell to sleep in her wet clothes.

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"Will, are you sure you want to leave?" Blaise asked sympathetically as the limo pulled up to take him to the hotel that Rosings offered.

"Positive. They'll be dining tonight, and I don't want to see her… I can't see her. If I do…" His voice trailed off, and he glanced over to the house in the distance as if he could pull her towards him that way.

"Understood, mate." Blaise said, and deciding to cheer his cousin up, he clapped him on the shoulder. "I still creamed you at Halo 2 though!"

"You wish." Will grinned, despite the aching pit in his chest, and even he knew that the smile didn't reach his eyes. It barely looked like a smile; it seemed more like a grimace.

"Next time, I'll show you how a real man takes losing Halo 2. None of this 'mamby pamby, wishy, washy' nonsense about taking it with dignity! When a real man is beaten by his cousin, he screams like a child, and throws a tantrum." Blaise said in a rather scholarly voice. Will's grin widened a little more, and it looked like a grimace. Patting his shoulder in a friendly way that only he could do, Blaise said good-bye to his cousin, and sat on the steps as he watched the limo pull away.

"Can't believe it." he muttered, looking over to the house in the distance. He had it all planned out, and what had ruined it? Will did, of course. He had gotten arrogant, and now he was suffering. Blaise knew he was suffering. He could tell when he had beaten his cousin at Soul Caliber 2. Will was the master of every character on that game; there was no reason for him losing; except for her. It was always a girl that did that to a guy, and now his closest friend was paying the consequences.

"I think I need to pay a visit to La Bennett." he muttered as he stood up suddenly, and began walking towards the house with renewed gusto.

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Will leaned back into the leather seats and inwardly groaned. He pressed his fists against his eyes and tried to stem the free-falling emotions that threatened to undo him. He hadn't slept a wink that entire night, and fatigue settled over him like a vice.

"Turn down the air;I need to sleep." he said to the driver, and as the small window separating the two rolled up, he leaned his head back and focused on a small point on the ceiling.

He couldn't think straight. He couldn't see anything without seeing her. He couldn't hear anything without hearing her words.

"_The last man I could ever be prevailed upon to marry."_

With a grumble of annoyance, he settled farther down into the seat and closed his eyes, knowing that as he did, he'd see her. Sure enough, the look of hurt was clear on her features as her damp curls swirled around her face, and she looked close enough to kiss. She seemed so fragile; she seemed nothing like the real girl he knew. But it was the last time he had seen her, and the last image he had engraved of her into his mind.

"The last man…" He muttered as he felt his eyelids fluttered open slowly. The windows were tinted, and the rocking of the car set him into a daze. With a start, he knew he didn't want to dream. It would be worse than the hole that used to be his heart.

"To sleep…" He mused, feeling the sleep coming onto him, "But dear god… I beg you… not to dream."

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Lizzie packed her bags as quickly as possible. She threw everything of hers unceremoniously into her suitcase, then struggled to zip it up. Accomplishing her feat, she tossed it to the floor where the driver stood. He had offered to take her back home today; he needed to see some family in Brooklyn too. As she checked her room for any overlooked items, she noticed, once again, the letter on the bed. She had avoided it all morning, and now was the time to decide whether or not to read it. The driver sensed her unease.

"Why not take it with you, you never know if it will help or not." He said lightly as he picked up her bags, and hefted them down the hall. With a grimace, she tucked the damned thing into her jacket pocket and walked down the stairs. She followed him, and he reached the door, it was flung open, and in the way stood Blaise Fitzwilliam with an intense gaze of sorrow. She had never seen him so… serious.

"Lizzie, I need to talk to you." He said gravely as he stepped into the house and out of the driver's way. Lizzie hacked for a few moments before settling onto a couch to hear what he had to say. She could tell it wasn't good.

"What about?" She asked cautiously, stifling a cough. The chilled air had really gotten to her.

"You know what about." He said disapprovingly. Lizzie shrugged nonchalantly, and looked out the window where she hoped the driver made haste loading her bags.

"I know what's in the letter. I read it while he wrote it, and everything in that stupid thing is real." He ran a hand through his hair, much like Will did, and Lizzie almost stopped breathing as she noticed the similarities he gave off as he sat there. He seemed more brooding, and serious; his brow was creased, and his blue eyes seemed darker than usual.

"Ok…" She muttered. Blaise reached over, and put a hand over hers.

"Look, I know he hurt you. But he's not so bad. Just give him a chance to prove his worth. Just read the letter. It'll let me sleep at night that way. Promise me?" He asked while he stood up. The driver stood in the doorway, and waited patiently for the verdict.

"I'll read it, but I don't know if I'll believe it." Lizzie warned softly while she zipped up her jacket. She felt the thick envelops press against her side as it rested temptingly in her pocket.

"That's all I ask. Take care of yourself, kiddo." He said softly, and after hugging her in a brotherly way, he helped her into the car. It peeled away slowly, and Blaise couldn't help but actually feel a little lonely.

"Now, to get the hell out of here." He muttered darkly as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, and started down the path to his nice and shiny car.

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Lizzie felt the heavy weight the letter had in her pocket. She didn't want to read it, but she had promised. Taking it out, she hefted the thick package, and groaned inwardly.

She fingered the edges as she tried to find out whether to read it now, or later. The driver looked over at her sympathetically, and patted her arm tenderly.

"If you don't read it, you'll never know if things get better." He advised wisely; the words didn't fit his age of 25. He should be ignoring her and thinking of his wife at home; he shouldn't be paying attention to the nerve racked girl next to him.

With a resigned sigh, she pulled up the flap. Panic gripped her chest as his words reverberated around his head.

"Your insane family…" She muttered, and sat there, staring at the open envelope with shock. She couldn't open it fully, not yet.

"If you read it, there's hope for something better." He whispered as he turned the music down even more. Groaning, she pulled out the thick stationary, and read:

_Please don't be afraid that this is another attempt at my offer that was so disgusting to you. I don't ask for anything but for you to read this, and believe in the words that I've written. I don't do this for my health, but your understanding. _

_After our discussion, I realized that there was two main points on your side of the story. First, Charlie and your sister, and second, the slightly heftier story of Jack Wickham. _

_The reasons why I separated Charlie and your sister wasn't because of my pride and arrogance. After I was alerted by Caroline about Charlie getting in too deep, I found that every time I looked at them, Jane seemed resigned, and Charlie obvious. It became clear over time that she didn't love him as much as he loved her. Judging by your testimony, and the fact you know her better than I do, you know best; I was only trying to help my friend. I'm not sorry for what I did, but I am sorry for your sister's suffering. _

_Now, onto the heftier subject- Jack Wickham. I'm sure you know that we grew up together, but did you know that as he grew up, he repeatedly stole from my father, and used the money my father gave him for alcohol and gambling? He was known as the "lush" of the private school we attended, and always had women over at our home. Slowly, he fell into the drug scene, and ran away from Pemberley a couple weeks before my father died. When my father died, he made me promise to help Jack, and I did so by putting ten thousand dollars into his bank account. Jack came back, and demanded more money. Of course, I denied it as he could provide me no evidence of the money having been well spent . _

_I later gave him another three thousand when I thought he might have matured enough to handle it, but it was gone just as quickly._

_Three years ago, while I was away for an important business trip, one of the worst things that ever happened to my family occurred behind my back. The events I tell you must be kept quiet, but if you're suspicious, you can ask Blaise, he already said he'd tell you his account of it if you were curious. _

_When I left, Jack came back and proclaimed undying love for my sister. Of course, I told her about what he'd done to disgrace our name, but when you have an older man saying he loved you, what would you have done at age 15? She fell for his tricks, and when he coerced her into doing drugs, she passed out. Of course, seeing it as an opportunity, Jack repeatedly raped my sister while she was unconscious. When authorities came with me in tow, I felt disgusted with myself. _

_Because there was no proof of rape, he was sent to jail for disturbing the peace, and nothing more. I can't even explain the amount of emotional pain my sister has suffered through. She now takes care of her two year old twins, a boy and a girl. _

_I'm sorry if I've offended you in any way; it was not my intention to hurt you. Please remember that I love you, and it has been an honor to be around you these months. I can only hope you think a little better of me. _

_With Love, _

_-William Andrew Darcy_

"Any better?" The man asked kindly as Lizzie set the letter down numbly. She stared out the window, and shook her head slowly as the facts set in. She knew he wasn't lying, and that's what hurt the most.

"No," She whispered as a tear fell down her cheek slowly. "If anything, it's gotten even worse."

**Ok, so let me know if the whole rain scene was too much. I didn't know whether to put it in or not, so I decided that there needed to be a situation that proved he still loved her. She saw it, he felt it… that sort of stuff. **

**Now you know what to do! Review, and tell me what you think!**


	21. Drinking Hits the Spot

**Ok, so not as many reviews for the last chapter, but that's ok! Also, to respond to Steph, the reason why he helped was because (if you'll notice) even when he was trying to forget her, he ended up being kind and couldn't stop from trying to prove to her he was good. Even though it hurt, just the thought of the girl of his dreams getting sick or worse made him help her. But now, we need to see how our two favorite stubborn people handle their little spat. How do they get over it? What do they do? Where do they go? Read and find out!!!**

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"So, you're saying that at 11:42 P.M. you walked into the apartment to return some borrowed items to Mr. Wallace?" Mr. Darcy asked with a raised eyebrow as he leaned against the table. The witness on the stand was visibly shaking as she answered.

"Y-y-yes… that's… th-that's c-c-c-correct." She stuttered as she clutched her faux Coach purse in a manicured grip.

"And he wasn't in the apartment at all when you walked in?" Will stated with bored tones as he glanced at his watch. He was hoping for a recess soon so that he could make his sister's performance, but if he couldn't get this crone to crack, he was going to be stuck awhile.

"N-n-no! He wasn't in there at all, I called and called, but nobody answered, and so I walked in a-and looked for… him." She cried as she looked up fearfully at the judge. Her wide brown eyes flashed a different color as the lights hit them when she turned, and William Darcy's heart once again threatened to explode. He almost visibly winced, but held it together, and forced his emotions back under lock and key.

"Do you know where Mr. Wallace was found?"

"Uhm…. Uh… At the door to the kitchen?"

"Were you aware the Medical Examiner who performed the autopsy placed his time of death at approximately 7:30?"

"No…"

"Are you aware of their testimony as to the condition of the body?

"I… don't know…"

"Did you know that according to the on scene investigators and Medical Examiner, Mr. Wallace's body had not been moved?

"I… uh… no.

"Is the kitchen doorway visible from the front door?"

"Y-yes…"

"Did you see his body when you entered the apartment?"

"Uhm… Uh… No, sir…

"No further questions." Will said with a smirk as he took his seat. Though he seemed happy to the uninformed, those close to him could see the inner turmoil that threatened to surface every time he focused on something; he was heart broken. They could tell he wasn't going to get over it.

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"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Lizzie shrieked as she leaned onto her boss' office desk. Rick's mouth was set in a grim line, and he nodded.

"I'm confident that if you go, you'll excel in more ways than you'd do here." He said nonchalantly as he examined his cuff links. In truth, he didn't want to look up at the fiery gaze that Elizabeth Bennett was unleashing with full force. He might accidentally let her stay if he looked at her.

"I'm not carting my ass off to some strange land just because you think it's best for me!" Lizzie exclaimed as she tried desperately to catch his eye. "Besides, I'm not going to England by myself! You want me to become anti-social because I can't fit in with a bunch of Brits?!" She tried desperately to think of any other excuse to let her stay in the states. Just now, Rick wanted her to go to England for some interning there that gave a more hands on experience.

"Well, your aunt and uncle said they'd be delighted to go with you. They were planning on traveling there, after all." He muttered as he tried to dismiss it as nothing. In truth, he was going to miss his intern if she did leave. He was waiting for her to come up with a suitable argument, but it was in vain.

"Y-you… you're really serious about this…" Lizzie muttered as she glared at him. "Well, fine then! I hope you're sent a nasty, slimy, disgusting, lazy lump of a man who does nothing! I'm leaving here for good!" She stormed out of the room with as much dignity as one with a temper could. A moment of silence filled the room, and Rick smothered a grin as an angry Lizzie stomped back into the room, and grabbing her purse, gave him a withering look.

"I'll get the information from Pattie." She growled as she slammed the door again. A heavy silence reverberated around the room, and Rick shuddered at how emotional and quick to anger she had become after Easter.

When Lizzie had come back from her small break, everyone had noticed a large change about her. No longer did she easily brush things off. Some comments stung her into a horribly sharp and nasty temper that left some close to tears in surprise and hurt. People who had taken a liking to her noticed that she would always reach into her pocket every now and then and touch something, as if to remind her of information she needed. Every time she did so, her eyes would take on a faraway look, and she'd become easily distracted.

Of course, when questioned, Lizzie denied it, and announced everyone insane; but if that was the way she wanted to be, they'd let her. Many in the hospital had taken a strong liking to the fiery tempered but smiling, quick witted girl who interned for Rick.

Her smiles had been left behind when she returned from Easter.

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"I'm fine Jane; it's just another country for awhile!" Lizzie tried to stem her sister's worry a little bit, but found that she was failing miserably.

"Are you sure? I can come there if you need me! I know you've been down ever since the whole Easter trip, and I want you to feel better." Jane said with a motherly tone as she lay sprawled across the apartment's couch. Her sister had told her about everything that had happened, but she still sympathized, and she thought that her sister was suffering more than she claimed.

"Jane… I'm past age ten! I'm even past diapers! I'll be fine." She assured with a roll of her eyes as she boarded the plane. Her aunt and uncle smothered grins as they walked in after her. They had booked the flight so that they could go with their niece to England. They had heard vaguely about what had happened, and they didn't want her so far away from home after such an ordeal.

"If I hear you're not fine, I'm booking a flight and coming after you." Jane warned with slight amusement as her sister laughed heartily.

"I'm so scared." Lizzie said sarcastically.

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Will leaned back in his 1st class seat and closed his eyes with weariness. He was going back to England, and he was going to be able to see his sister once again. With a content grumble, he reached under his seat, and pulled out his i-Pod, and his book. As he selected his playlist, he knew that no flight attendant would dare tell a 1st class passenger to put it away. He knew his way around a plane, and the only reason he was on a commercial one and not his private one was because the new one wouldn't be ready for at least a month..

Will saw a flash of curly brown hair and he closed his eyes and pretended that he was somewhere else. The whole ordeal had been torturing ever since he had left, and he couldn't sleep for fear of seeing her again.

"_The last man on earth…"_ The words rang around in his head, and he grumbled something incoherent. It was the time to move on, not the time to reminisce.

"I'm so scared." someone said with humor as they walked up the small way to coach. The voice that haunted his memories rang out in his ears, and his eyes flew open as he glanced around in panic. Was he so insane that he was hearing things in real life as well?

"No Jane, I think I can manage. I have two chaperones, even though I'm in college. You people won't let up." The voice joked, and Will shrunk down in his seat slightly. He knew it probably wouldn't help because of his height, but he tried anyway. He was glancing around frantically, but he couldn't see the person with the familiar voice. With a suppressed groan, he shrunk down even more, and wished himself somewhere else.

"Ok Jane, I have to go. I don't want some insane flight attendant to tackle me and take my new phone." The voice said, and he knew she was there. She was walking down the aisle with a rolling backpack behind her, and a phone glued to her ear.

"… Ok, fine, I'll call when I get there, but you stay exactly where you are!" She said brightly as she glanced around obliviously. Squeezing his eyes shut, he held his breath (as if it would make him less conspicuous) and pretended that he wasn't there.

"Lizzie?" prompted someone right behind her, and right when she was about to glance down and see him sitting there, she stopped and looked the other way.

"Yeah?" She asked brightly. Will looked up at her, and winced as he saw that she was standing right next to his seat. Mentally wishing her away, he scooted to the seat next to his, and looked promptly out the window.

Just hearing her words in his head as they had argued tormented him to no end. He knew he had made an ass of himself, but he didn't see why she had gotten so mad at him. He had told the truth, hadn't he? He had stated facts, but they hadn't been good enough! With an incoherent snort, he remembered the look on her face when he tossed her onto her bed. She had deserved it! Though, the fact he had hurt her hurt him worse than anything else made him want to die. He had never wanted to hurt her, but he did. That fact tore him up to the very bone.

"…Oh, sorry, I was in your way, wasn't I?" She asked. Not realizing she was talking to him, Will didn't even acknowledge her. Hearing a snort, he turned to see her stalking off angrily.

"I apologized, why can't people seem to get their heads out of their asses?" She asked the man behind her who proceeded to scold her roundly. The lady behind him patted Will's arm sweetly.

"Sorry about that, she's a live-wire, isn't she?" The lady asked kindly while looking back at the girl fondly.

"What? Oh… oh yes, of course." He muttered with a bewildered look on his face. The lady smiled, and walked along the small walkway, and Will began to hyperventilate.

Elizabeth Bennett, here? On the plane to England? Preposterous! Why would she want to go to England? He didn't want to see the woman of his nightmares on his turf, attracting other men! With a slight groan of frustration, he leaned down in his seat, and asked the attendant if she had any painkillers. Even if he managed to fall asleep, his dreams of her so close to him, but yet so far would haunt him. The flight was going to be a long one.

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Lizzie leaned over the patient, and began cleaning the wound with a carefree ease that most interns didn't have. Behind her stood another intern with platinum blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and pale skin. She was a very pretty girl who wore minimal makeup, but she seemed as though she would break at any moment. Lizzie had been skeptical when they had been paired up. The girl was seventeen years old and had skipped more than three grades. She had completed two years at uni, and on top of that, had two kids.

_She now takes care of her two year old twins, a boy and a girl.. _The thought ran around in her head, and she had to make sure to cut the gauze and not the patient while she realized that Will's sister might have been in the same predicament as this girl. They're the same age even!

The intern didn't seem the type to want to go into medicine, but after seeing what happened the last time she judged someone, Lizzie kept her comments to herself. The girl watched with a patience that startled Lizzie at first. She was used to being the intern that always asked questions, and always needed answers. This girl was someone who watched and learned from watching alone. She was a smart one.

"There you go, Mr. Matthews, you'll be good as new very soon." Lizzie said brightly while she handed a lollypop over to the 8-year-old. Smiling, Matthews opened the wrapper with a child's flourish, and began eating it immediately.

"Well, Miss Darlington, I don't think that you'll ever have trouble with an eight year old's boo-boo. You learn very well." Lizzie commented as she washed her hands in a sink down the hall. Gina smiled at her with hesitancy, and nodded.

"I hope not Lizzie. My brother spent a lot of money getting me into my school; I don't want to have trouble with a simple stitching." She said in a higher, softer voice that made Lizzie always have to strain to hear.

"So where do you work that lets you support your kids?" Lizzie asked while they went and got a snack for break. Gina grinned a little more widely at the mention of her kids. It was something she always got animated about.

"Well, in our house, there's a housekeeper that baby-sits when I'm not there, and my brother usually pays for my kids, but to make sure I don't slack off on my responsibility, I have a job at a school on our property as a room mom, and oh I'm rambling again…" She closed off her little speech with downcast eyes, and a trembling lip.

"Gina, you're a quiet girl. I like that about you. But if he's paying for the kids, why get a job?" Lizzie asked. She wasn't trying to interrogate her; she wanted to see if Gina got the job for the right reasons. She wanted to figure the girl out.

"Oh, I don't want him to pay, but he insists. To make up for me feeling like I'm not doing enough for them, I have the job and save the money for their uni funds." Gina explained with conviction and a ghost of a smile on her face. She traced the lid of her drink idly and she looked up with her clear blue eyes. "But my brother's been out of sorts lately. He's taken to drinking in the evening.'

"Why, what happened?" Lizzie asked with concern. The one statement made the girl look like she was about to start crying at any moment. Lizzie could tell that Gina loved her brother very much.

"Well, he went to America for a very long time. He wrote back about business stuff and his friend's sister…" At this Gina shivered, "…saying hello. Really normal stuff. Now, he comes home with a paranoid look about him, and went to sleep without even eating dinner with me and my kids. I stepped into his room one evening to ask if we could all go out to eat one night, and he's mumbling in his sleep about someone. I could tell that it was bad because he kept wringing his hands, and the next morning he was terribly crabby. I came into his office one evening after putting the kids to bed, and he was sitting there with a large bottle of brandy. My brother only drinks when there's a celebration, or something's horribly wrong. I'm so worried about him because I don't know if he's going to become an alcoholic or what!" Her voice wavered slightly, and Lizzie saw that she was leaning foreword with conviction as she spoke. As if realizing this, Gina leaned back into her chair, and tugged at her waist long hair that was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Maybe if you talk to him and let him know what's going on, he'll listen to you. If he's what you've made him out to be, I'm sure he'll listen. You just have to be passionate about what you're saying. Make him listen with your tone alone. I'm sure it'll be ok." Lizzie said comfortingly. Gina smiled up at her with hesitancy, but then stopped when the cell phone at her hip began buzzing insistently.

"A text?" She muttered wonderingly, and read it with confusion etched on her face. Her eyes raced across the screen, and with a gasp, she stood up.

"I have to go! Oh, Lizzie, I don't know what to do! Should I g-"

"I'll cover for you." Lizzie assured her with a worried smile. With a hesitant yet gushing, "Oh Lizzie, thank you so much!" she was gone; her ponytail swung dangerously as she ran down the hall.

"What a strange girl… I like her." Lizzie mused as she stood up from the table. With a flourished smile at the group at the table next to hers, she exited the room with slight wonderment as she tried to figure out her new friend.

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"Hey… how are you pretty ladies doing tonight? Anything I can do for you?" Jack asked with a seductive smile. Lydia and Kitty both blushed and shared secretive smirks before responding.

"We're actually bored. This party is so lame." Lydia complained as she took a step. Intentionally tripping, she fell right onto his arm, and felt the sleek muscles.

"Well, I can entertain you if necessary." Jack smiled down at her. Kitty raised an eyebrow at this, and shook her head.

"That's not necessary. We were just going to find a new party anyway." she said with a covert glance at her sister. Lydia ignored her sister pointedly, and ogled the man she was latched onto.

"Kitty, no one cares about you being such a baby. Get out of here if you don't know how to have real fun." Lydia snapped when she realized they were waiting for her verdict.

"My kind of woman." He purred softly in her ear. Lydia grinned like a Cheshire cat, not realizing that she was the one being used. Blatantly turning away from her sister, Lydia leaned in closer to her "prey".

"You'll soon find out exactly what kind of woman I am." She whispered lustily. As she swayed her hips over to the bar, Jack smiled. He hadn't realized how easy it was going to be to get his revenge. Pushing away the desire to rub his hands in a plotting way, Jack followed her over to the bar, and proceeded to buy her drinks.

Neither noticed Kitty scrambling to get out of the club, tears streaming down her face.

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Will leaned back in his chair and grinned despite himself. Getting drunk had not been in his plans since he had returned. His plans had been to throw himself into his work, but seeing as every business in England was being dealt with by his best workers, Will didn't know exactly what to do. So, he sought out the people who lived in the condos on his property, and kept up with his accounts there. After that though, there was nothing left to do.

He had been given some scotch one night, and he had been able to sleep without dreaming of the dreaded Elizabeth Bennett. Seeing it as an outlet for his frustrations, Will let himself have a couple of drinks every night before going to bed. Of course, that led him to forgetting things; big things, like picking his nephew and niece up from their preschool.

Groggily, he stood up, and was about to pour himself more to drink when his sister barged in unannounced.

"William Darcy!" She exclaimed as she stood in front of him. William's eyes took in an image of his sister standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. Since when had his sister gotten a tongue? She'd always been a shy and quiet girl, moreso after Wickham! What was going on here?

"What has gotten into you?!?" she exclaimed as she pressed him into a chair. Stalking before him furiously, she began ranting. "You get home without as much as a, 'Hello Sister, how have you been?' drink yourself to a stupor, barely acknowledge anyone's existence, and now you forget my children? What happened in the States to where you'd forget MY children?!" She stopped pacing as she whirled around to stare her brother right in the eye.

"Nothing of concern." He mumbled as he avoided her gaze. There was a knock at the door, and Georgiana excused herself to open it. In the doorway stood her closest family member - besides her brother- Blaise Fitzwilliam.

"Georgie, I think I should handle this." He said with a grim stare. Calming down slightly, Georgiana excused herself to take care of her kids. Lord knew her brother wasn't fit to do it.

Blaise walked into the room slowly, and carefully. He could see his cousin slumped in a chair, and that didn't help the situation at all.

"Ah… drinking hits the spot doesn't it?" Blaise asked conversationally while he sought to get his cousin's attention. "But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you, mate?"

"Sod off." Will muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. Blaise poured his cousin a drink, and nudged it to him. Angrily, Will downed it in two gulps, and glared out of the window.

"What should we drink to though?" Blaise asked curiously while he attempted to keep a somber appearance. His cousin did seem slightly pathetic.

"The damnation of all women." Will muttered angrily. Blaise once again smothered a grin as his slightly drunk cousin fell into a trap again.

"All women?" Blaise asked with slight humor.

"Yes, all women! They reach into your good graces, slip amongst you, treat you fine one moment, horrid the next, the whole bloody lot of them tempt you with one thing, and disgrace you when your heart is pure." He sat up a little bit and glared balefully at the sky that contrasted with his emotions.

"The whole bloody lot of them?" Blaise asked incredulously.

"The whole bloody lot of them!"

Georgiana walked into the room quietly, and sat down in a chair to listen. She wanted to hear what was going on, and she knew that Will would never tell her unless he didn't realize he was.

"Or maybe just one in particular. Would you care to single out one from the whole bloody lot of them?" Blaise asked as he made himself comfortable. Will put his head in his hands, and nodded slowly.

"The biggest temptress of them all." He groaned as he remembered the pure fury in her eyes.

"What's her name? Should we call her Eve, for her sin?" Blaise asked.

"No, you dolt, her name's Elizabeth!" Why did he feel so disoriented? The room was spinning slightly, and it took his full will power not to fall over.

"Ah, of course, Elizabeth. To Elizabeth then. The biggest temptress of them all." He said grandly as he stood up with a half full drink of brandy. Will nodded sluggishly while his thoughts built with a fierce passion.

"The biggest temptress, the most insulting, the cruelest…" Will mumbled slightly coherent. Georgiana raised an eyebrow at this, but still kept silent.

"… Ah yes, may she crawl under a rock, may she find disappointment wherever she goes, may she regret her torment on the innocent…" Blaise mused as he raised his glass. Will stopped his nodding while the words sunk in. Did he want her to find disappointment? Was she the cruelest person? Of course not! Elizabeth Bennett was anything but a temptress!

"Blaise, stop." Will said softly as he glared at his cousin who was still berating the girl.

"… May she be cursed with any pain and afflictions that men know..."

"I said stop it." Will growled, still not being heard. His Elizabeth didn't deserve to be cursed! Georgie raised an eyebrow in interest.

"… and I pray that she has her heart ripped to shreds by every gold digger known to man!" Blaise said grandly, but he was still not finished. Will's temper was building, and when Blaise went into a description of her punishment for being a temptress, he exploded.

"BLAISE! YOU WILL STOP THESE FOOLISH INSULTS UPON A LADY! SHE IS A MOST VALUABLE CREATURE, WHO DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR INSULTS! SHE IS THE ONE WOMAN I'VE EVER FALLEN IN LOVE WITH, AND NOTHING CAN EVER CHANGE THAT!" He roared with fury as he whirled around and dropped his brandy on the floor in agitation. Georgie's eyebrows flew into her hairline in surprise, and Blaise stumbled to a stop of his belittlement.

"Of course she doesn't deserve it, mate. But you needn't dwell on the pain of that too much. Even if you can't see it now, there are those here, right now, who love you a lot, and nothing can change that either." he said with a raised eyebrow. Nodding civilly to his cousin, Georgie, he walked out of the room, mission accomplished.

Will glanced down at the broken glass, and then up at his sister. With a groan, he fell limply back into his chair, and ran a hand through his hair in shock at himself. Georgie walked over hesitantly, and put an arm around her brother's shoulder.

"Will, I'm worried about you. Will you please tell me what's wrong?" She asked hesitantly. Will opened his slightly bloodshot eyes, and nodded slowly.

"You have a right to know." He muttered, and scooted over in his chair to let his sister sidle in.

"Now, who's the girl that's captured your heart in such a thick material?" Georgie asked hesitantly, taking a slight leaf out of her cousin's book. Will sighed, and ran a hand through his hair again.

"Her name's Elizabeth Bennett…" he said softly as he looked out of the window again. "And according to her, I'm the last man on earth she'd ever be prevailed upon to marry."

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**Hm, that was a bit dramatic, wasn't it?! The poor guy. But you have to see the change that comes about him these coming chapters! He's wallowed in pity, and next few chapters show the phoenix in the ashes! Ok, calming down a little bit, and if you guys review, you'll see what happens next!**


	22. Bethy Boo?

** Well, my computer crashed, so when I got back on, I had about 40 new messages from everyone, and then the reviews! Now that I've caught up with them, I'm posting this chapter for you guys! Also, I've gotten a lot of stuff about Pamela Aiden's books. I was in such a hurry about making sure I didn't steal from Mr. Darcy's Diary that I forgot about the Gentlemen Series! Yes, that last chapter had a spin off of, These Three Remain. I used it because it really fit. I had to try to show a way that people try to get over certain things. Like, you see it all the time how they drain their failings in a bottle. And the reason why it was Blaise that coaxed it out of him was so that Georgie could hear what was going on. Will wouldn't have said anything if Georgie had asked, so Blaise helped that way Georgie could find out. It didn't seem right to have Blaise just tell her because then Will might resent that it was not him telling his sister what happened. So, they tricked it out of them!**

**Sorry for any anger or anything because I forgot to disclaim. I love the gentlemen series by Pamela Aiden, and when I was reading through them again, I just had to take a leaf out of her book. SORRY for any feelings you have against me for it! Please keep reading!**

**Also, I noticed that there was a problem with the Fan Fiction thing. That's not anyone's fault, and I hope it's fixed! And you know, you guys say that he went insane, and he has… he really has. He's planned his way up to that moment, and planned her as his future, what else does he have to do:P**

**Wow, that was really long… Ok, after that loooong shpeel, here we go!**

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"Lizzie, you want to come over tomorrow?" Gina asked brightly as she washed her hands in the large sink. Lizzie grinned and ruffled her friend's hair playfully. The crisis, she had been told the next day, had to do with her brother and his drinking. Now though, it was resolved, and she could sleep peacefully at night.

_"Oh Will, that's so sad!" Georgie exclaimed as she hugged her brother in surprise at the extent of his feelings. _

_"No, don't pity me, please. I can only be ashamed of my feelings. They've gotten me into a lot of trouble." He muttered, and Georgie shook her head. _

_"Never feel ashamed to love! I'm just surprised at your proposal. Really Will, are we such a family that we expect to be told yes to everything because of who our social standing?" Georgie asked. Will's head sunk further towards his chest in shame, and Georgie instantly regretted her words. She hated making people sad, especially her brother. _

_"I suppose we are." he mused. Georgie had to get him out of his melancholy state; her happiness depended on it. _

_"Will, just hear me out. What if you could change how you were? Become a better person from your experiences! Gain ground from the pain." She said brightly, but it only made him more upset. _

_"It's not likely that we'll ever see each other again, why would I waste my time changing for someone who's not going to be there to notice?" He grumbled as he stemmed the pain of his headache. _

_"Then don't change for her, change for yourself! Will, Jack's not around, but I'm still a different person than I was then. I've changed for myself, and if he ever saw that, he'd know it." Georgie stated this with such a firm belief that Will didn't have time to get angry at hearing her say his name with only a flinch at the memory. _

_"What made you so strong?" He accused with some suspicion. _

_"The intern I work with. She's the kindest person I've ever met, but she's made me want to be a better person. She's helped me a lot, and I'm surprised that she's not a therapist or something." Georgie smiled at the thought of her friend at the hospital meeting her brother. It would be even better if they fell in love. She could see that happening. _

_Will sat there in silence. He thought back to every moment that he had ever experienced with Elizabeth Bennett. He had always wanted to do better in her eyes. He had always wanted to be a better person. He wanted to make her happy, and in the process, make himself happy. _

_"I get what you mean." He said with a small smile, despite his pain at the memories he was thinking of at that moment. _

_**Even with him holding her so close, it still wasn't enough contact. With a groan, he pulled her shirt off smoothly, and was surprised when Lizzie obliged him, and jerked his buttoned one off too. Will took off his white shirt as well, and repressed a groan as she ran a hand down his chest, his muscles tensing involuntarily as she ran kisses up his neck, and twined her fingers through his hair.**_

_"I have to go back to work again, she was pretty worried." Georgie smiled brightly, and giving her brother a much needed hug, she flounced out of the room. Will groaned despite himself, and glared. Why had it taken this long to figure out what he needed to do? _

_Love. That's why._

"Well, I might. Isn't it that shmancy fancy place, Pemberley or something?" Lizzie asked as she put her tools away for the day. Pemberley… why did that name ring a bell? Shrugging off the strange feeling that she knew the place, she smiled when she saw Gina flick water at a passing by worker.

"Yea, but don't let that scare you away, Bethy Boo!" Gina teased. The nickname had stuck when they had been working on a pretty messy accident, and whenever she said it, Lizzie blushed a scarlet color.

"Me, scared? You must be mistaking me for another girl." Lizzie teased with a grin. "But, I don't think tomorrow would be good. How about this Friday?"

"Why not do a whole spend the night thing? Friday and Saturday! My brother won't be there, so it'd be just us!" she exclaimed as she grabbed a cup of water and tossed the water on Lizzie's hair. Lizzie wiped her wet hair out of her eyes, and tackled Gina to the wall, and started tickling her mercilessly.

_Passion tore at her chest, and Lizzie pulled his body closer to hers, desire taking over. Will obliged her, and pressed urgent kisses along her chest as he stroked her side slowly, gently. Lizzie met his lips again, and had to have_ _more. Moaning in the back of his throat, Will whispered her name softly._

Lizzie stopped tickling Gina, and backed away slowly. Why was she still having memories about him? Why was she dwelling on a man she'd never see again? Just thinking back to his eyes made her grab her bag, and swing it on her shoulders to leave. She called back to Gina as she walked out, "Friday to Saturday it is then!"

Gina stared at the retreating back of her friend, and stared incredulously. What was going on with Lizzie?

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Will smiled warmly as he shook hands with the man outside of one of the condos.

"Are you sure you'll let me stay another month without paying?" The man asked hesitantly as he tried not to blurt out what was really on his mind.

"If you have a job in one month, I'll need the money. But, if you're unable, then as soon as you get the job." Will smiled again when he saw the shocked and bemused stare of one of his tenants. "Are you alright, James?"

"Mr. Darcy, can I ask a question?" James asked hesitantly. His wife would never believe this. "Why are you being so nice? If I had come up to you a month before this, you would have turned me out definitely. What's the change for? Have you met a woman?"

Now, normally Will would have turned away and ignored him; he wouldn't have been so lenient with his tenants. He would have only granted ten days for him to find a new job before sending a notice to kick them out; but things weren't really normal anymore, were they?

"James… you could say that I've met someone who's changed me so much, but they don't even know it." He mused as he leaned on the outside railing. He was a picture of absolute ease, with rolled up sleeves, and a large smile on his face. James was knocked flat off of his feet. His wife would most definitely not believe this.

"Then… why don't you let her know?" He asked, confused.

"Because she lives a million miles away." He smiled again, and with a brief dismissal, he stepped into the elevator that would take him to ground floor. James cringed. His wife would certainly, most definitely, never believe this.

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"Will, my friend from work is coming over Friday through Saturday." Georgie wolfed her food down with exuberance that made Will slightly ill.

"I'm going to be working. Sorry, but I'll actually be back Sunday." He grinned when his sister laughed.

"Oh, I know. I just wanted you to know who was in the house while you were gone. Mrs. Reynolds said she'd take care of the kids while she was over." Georgie smiled as she stared in awe at the awesome change in her brother. It had just been two weeks, but he had made large leaps and bounds that she would have killed to make when she was suffering.

"That's good. Who's this girl anyway?" He asked conversationally. He knew that she would probably want them to hook up, but he knew that there would never be anyone else to take the room in his heart. Elizabeth was the only one to fill the gap, and the plaster had dried again.

"Bethy Boo's a good friend of mine, and she's an intern over me." Will choked on his food when he heard this, and stared at his sister incredulously.

"Bethy… Boo?"

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"Mr. Darcy, if you'll j-j-just spare a m-moment of y-you-your time, I'm sure that I won't be i-im-imposing or any… please?" The small serving girl was positively shaking at the thought of interrupting her employer when he was working. It was just something you didn't do. He was known to have a temper when anyone stopped him from his business.

"Oh, of course, step in, step in! What can I do for you?" His large grin rocked the employee on her heels. She had been yelled at the last time she had come bearing a message.

"Um… w-when do you want… d-dinner?" She stuttered softly. Will raised an eyebrow, and noticed the girl was in her awkward teen phase, and obviously nervous.

"Whenever you'd like to serve it, I can take time off." he shrugged off the look of shock she gave him when he said this, and with a dip, she walked out. Mrs. Reynolds grinned when she walked up. The girl reached into her pocket, and produced a twenty pound note, but the older woman pushed it away.

"You can keep it this time, but when I say that he's changed, I mean that he's changed." She nodded wisely when the girl pocketed the money with a dull nod. She wouldn't bet against Mrs. Reynolds ever again.

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"I can't imagine growing up in such a large place." Lizzie muttered with awe in her voice as they drank some soda. It was close to midnight, and they still weren't showing signs of slowing down any time soon. After prank calling more than a dozen people, pillow fighting, sliding down the banister, dancing in their pajamas, and any other thing a girl would do at a slumber party, they were found in the kitchen, having a soda chugging contest.

"Well, it wasn't so bad with Will in here too." Gina said simply and laughed when she saw the look of shock and horror cross her friend's face.

"Will… wait, your last name is Darlington!" Lizzie cried, and then remembered why she knew Pemberley- it was Will Darcy's home."

"No… that's just what I put on my resume. My real last name's Darcy." Gina said this calmly, and patiently. The color on Lizzie's face disappeared when she heard this, and she almost dropped her drink. Things began clicking in her mind, and she once again chastised herself for not seeing through everything. She was so surprised that she actually disregarded the fact that the girl she was friends with had just lied on her resume, and that she could blow it off so easily.

"But… your name's Gina… not Georgiana…" She muttered helplessly, but she knew that that defense was not good. Gina was short for Georgiana. Gina raised an eyebrow.

"Elizabeth Bennett, what's wrong with… oh hell." Comprehension dawned on Gina's face, and she realized why her friend looked so horrific. She inwardly berated herself for being so stupid.

"I have to go." Lizzie mumbled incoherently, and turned to leave. Gina grabbed her arm, and dug her heels into the ground.

"BETH BOO, YOU WILL STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" She exclaimed as she pulled her friend onto the ground. Sitting on her legs, she glared at her friend.

"Now… I've heard an awful lot about you. I don't know why it took so long for this to click, but now that it has, you are staying here as my guest. He's not going to be here for a couple more days, so if you're trying to avoid him, it will be easy on account of him not even being in Derbyshire." she said this while glaring into the strange eyes of Lizzie. Lizzie was staring up at the ceiling with a colorful change of emotions running across her face, ranging from sadness to utmost horror and back again.

Gina didn't know how to take this. The girl who had helped coax her out of her shell was the also the girl to pull Will out of his too? She was slightly angry that it was her Bethy Boo, but at the same time, it made sense.

"Now, who's going to win this soda drinking contest?"

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Noon seemed to be a good time to wake up after staying awake until 6:00. Lizzie's mind was a torrent, and she couldn't get the fact that this was Will Darcy's home out of her head. She was scared that he'd show up at any moment, and Gina had tried to make it better by saying that he would be back Sunday. Lizzie had missed him by a day. She thanked the lord for that one and crept downstairs to find the kitchen again. That proved to be hard because, you see, there was more than once kitchen.

"Can I help you?" A kind lady asked, but the fact that someone had crept up on her made Lizzie nearly jump out of her skin.

"Oh… um… whoa, is this an art gallery?" She stopped talking when she saw the many paintings on the high arched walls.

"Yes, and you can look around. Georgie told me that you could go wherever you wanted. You're a special guest." Lizzie wasn't listening anymore though. Her eyes were roaming over the gorgeous paintings, but when she saw one, she stopped. The dark raven black hair was in horrible disarray, but it gave him a slightly more human appearance. His dark blue eyes watched the painter with bored interest, and you could see the expression of one who wanted to get away as quickly as possible. He was standing, and his tall, muscular frame dominated the whole picture. Lizzie's heart pounded in her chest, and her ribs rattled against the pain of seeing him.

"Oh, this is her brother, Will. You know him, don't you?" The lady smiled as Lizzie grinned blearily. She could barely hear the words from the lady's mouth, but managed to nod when they registered. So many emotions swirled around her mind, and she couldn't help but try to stem her watering eyes. It was one thing to be in his home, but another to see him.

"He is handsome, isn't he?" The lady wouldn't let off. Lizzie tried to forget the voices rising in her head, but they kept ringing, and she could hear everything as if it had just been said.

_"Had you behaved in other places as a gentleman, no one would ever have that thought. It was even before Jack that your character was sprung to me. You are the most prideful, arrogant, snobbish, rude, conceited prat that I've ever met! In no way would I ever like you, and you are the very last man I could ever be prevailed upon to marry!" Lizzie stated in an icy voice. _

_Will took a step towards her, and they were so close, they could have kissed again if they wanted. His breath chilled her face, and Lizzie shivered. _

_"Then… then I am horribly sorry to have wasted your time and your patience." He breathed into her ear. They stood there for awhile; each one wanting to kiss the other, but both afraid of what would happen. The silence was deafening, and Lizzie wanted just to close the distance between them, just to stop the emotion building in her chest. The emotion itself was enough to make panic spread through her torso as she realized she just wanted that burning feeling to spread through her again. She wanted him to touch her. After insulting him roundly to his face, she wanted him to touch her softly like he had done moments before. What was wrong with her?_

_Unable to take the silence, Will leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips one last time._

"Yes, I must say that he is." She whispered as she stepped back a few steps, and then fled the room. The woman looked startled, but she didn't object.

Lizzie ran down the hall, and took any turn that seemed like it would help her find an escape. As she turned a corner, she saw the large double doors she had entered, and clenched her fists in anticipation. As she was about to burst through them, they opened on their own accord, and unable to stop herself, Lizzie slammed right into a muscled and tanned chest. The agony was never going to end.

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Will jumped into the lake with exuberance. The hot air was sticky on the back of his neck, and the cool water hit the spot. After dealing with his business faster than he thought, he had been dropped off at the gates of his home so that he could run to the house. Halfway there, Will had also decided that the lake was something to hit the spot. Before diving in, he took off his white shirt to stop it from getting dirty.

The water cooled his skin, and feeling a bit better, he swam about for a few minutes. With a grin, he climbed out and started back on his run. There was nothing that was going to ruin his day today; he was sure of it. He did want to meet the supposed, "Bethy Boo," but if she had already left, that was ok too. Knowing his sister though, they were probably crashed on the floor of a random room.

Picking up the pace of the run, he reached his house in record time, and he was just entering the house when a petite woman slammed into him.

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Lizzie had to choke back a gasp as she fell onto the marble floor. She had it coming, running at breakneck speed like that. But when familiar arms laced around her waist and stopped her from hitting the hard rock, she really did gasp.

She could see the dark blue eyes of the man in the painting gazing at her with such shock and surprise that she blushed scarlet, and she instantly looked away. Her embarrassment doubled when she looked down to see his chest and abs.

_ Will took off his white shirt as well, and groaned as she ran a hand down his chest, his muscles tensing involuntarily as she ran kisses up his neck, and twined her fingers through his hair._

Emotions threatened to spill over at any moment, and all she could think of was what she had done to him. She didn't want to believe that it was him, but here he was, his intense gaze disturbed by the rainbow of emotions running across his features. He probably didn't want her there. He was probably thinking about what she had done to him, and how much he hated her. He was probably about to drop her onto the floor. She'd deserve it if he did. She hated the way that when she looked back up at him, she couldn't look away from the gaze that had held her so many times. She couldn't say anything, and wasn't sure if she wanted to. The only thing that mattered was the fact that anger was not one of his emotions, and that he looked so different that she was sure that if he spoke, his voice would be different too.

"…Lizzie?"

**Okee, so that was a torrent of emotions, wasn't it?! I'm not sure though, I think I made it a bit too AHH, so you tell me what you think!!**


	23. Ice Cream Anyone?

**So, my computer crashed… if you didn't know. BUT OH MY GOSH!!! My dad's working on it, so gets fixed, I'll be able to keep posting, pronto. Right now, I'm at a friend's house, and that's why this is being updated. But, I'm sooooo sorry this has been taking so long! That was SUCH a cliffhanger, and that night, the computer went…. Dead. And now, I've not been able to write as much because I've just started high school a week or three or four ago! Homework EVERY night?!?! It ALMOST makes me wish I was back in middle school. But, anywho… **

**So, I thought to myself, we really need to get some more Charlotte up in here… I sort of miss her. I hated marrying her off to some toady man. Would you keep her married to a toady man? That's what I'm talking about. So, let us check back into our dear, good friend of the heroine (not the drug… the girl hero…), Charlotte!**

**But, to those who asked about the gentleman series, I wasn't mad or anything that you addressed the fact I hadn't disclaimed it, I was actually like, "oh gosh, ****that's**** what I forgot!" You see, I can be a pretty forgetful person, so thank you for reminding me!!! **

**But, I'm terribly sorry that I've fallen off the face of the earth. That's the wonderful message I just read from randomperson. I have actually resented falling off of the earth, I think that my trip was very scary, and quite frankly, I didn't enjoy it one bit! But, while I'm at it, let me say that this hasn't been edited by my beta (god bless her) so there will be slight mistakes, I suppose. Hell, I know there will be mistakes!!**

**But, next week, we get our new and improved computer, so I MIGHT be back then! MIGHT! But, if I don't, you know why! Enjoy!**

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Charlotte Collins glared at her husband with venom spitting from her lips. Mr. Collins was all smiles, but he knew that his wife was close to breathing fire at any sudden movement.

"Charlotte dear, you really need to think about this! Having a child would benefit us, and my dear Catherine wants me to have a child!" Well, so much for sudden movements. Charlotte's eyes grew wide, and she snorted.

After the past few months, their relationship had gone from bad to worse. Collins kept pushing for her to have a child, and Charlotte really didn't want to have a child… with him. After Lizzie's small visit to their "humble" abode, Charlotte had begun to see things in a different light. When she'd usually brush her husband's words off with an apologetic shrug, she now would give back a biting retort. She was seeing Lizzie's observations as law, and she didn't want to put up with it anymore.

"You wouldn't be packing a child around for nine months, I would. Who says I want that?" She demanded.

"My dearest Catherine says I need an heir! She's willing to help-"

"Well, if you think so highly of her, maybe you should marry her! She can have your child!"

Mr. Collins took a great long time before answering, and when he did, there was a thick and heavy knife hanging over the both of them.

"If you're going to insult her like that, dear Charlotte, then maybe you should tell that to her face. I think she'd enjoy hearing your thoughts. And while you're at it, if you're so unhappy, then you could leave."

Charlotte took a deep breath, and thought long and hard about it. This was her last chance. She could either stay and be semi-happy, or take a chance on the money that her husband had graciously put into her account and find true happiness. Smiling faintly as she thought of what her best friend, basically sister, would do, she straightened up, and grinned wolfishly at her now trembling husband,

"I'll get a lawyer, and we'll work out the papers. Find some other baby machine elsewhere." She replied politely. It was not the best come back she could have given, but at that moment, she felt powerful. At that moment, Charlotte felt on the top of the world. Or, at least her part of it.

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Charlotte walked out of the house, adrenaline pumping. The large park that they lived in was very scenic, and perfect for walking. She could see a sign pointing to the beach near the condos, and decided that a stroll through the sand would definitely help her get used to the sudden freedom she had in her gut.

The sand blew around in the summer wind, and many couples were spread out on multi-colored towels. It was almost like beacons surrounding that just screamed, taken and happy. Pushing away that silly thought, she walked towards the ice cream stand, but was stopped partway there.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" A mischievous voice asked slyly, and someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Whirling around in slight panic, Charlotte was about to give a right hook to none other than Blaise Fitzwilliam.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with a laugh. Blaise noticed the slight edge in her voice, and the fact she wasn't wearing the large rock on her ring finger anymore.

"My aunt called me here. I just came here from my dear cousin Will's…" He mused with a smirk when he remembered the situation in England. Georgie had called his cell telling him of his cousin's drastic improvement, and it helped to know that Will wasn't about to go off into the deep end… again.

"Oh, well, want some ice cream?" Charlotte asked when she got over the initial shock of seeing the very cute, and very single Brit.

"Are you sure your husband would like that?" Blaise asked, reprimanding her gently. He was surprised when she gave a bark of laughter.

"As of right now, my lawyer is drawing up papers. I'm officially free." She stated proudly.

"Well then, how about that ice cream?"

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_"Are you confident that taking this client will up our status in Brittan? The last business transaction in New York City lost us a couple of hundred dollars. You were there working Darcy, why did we lose money when you were there?" The lady leaned back and surveyed her boss critically. He wanted to make another law firm in Hertfordshire, but after his little escapade in the States, people were wary of using more money than necessary. _

_**"You could be so much nicer if you smiled once and awhile. Your smile is beautiful. It could be used as a weapon in business deals. It stuns people. When I first saw you smile, I couldn't say anything at first." Lizzie rambled slightly as she looked up in time to see his broad smile. "See? It dazzles people." **_

_Will heard her words echoing in his head, and realization dawned on him. With an inward shrug, he smiled brightly, and had to smile even more when he saw surprise grace her features. The lady's mouth gaped open, and like Lizzie predicted, the girl didn't say anything for a few moments. _

_"I'm confident that branching out our firm in England will benefit us. If you're still on hot coals about it, I can give you time to alert the workers to vote on whether they think it would help." He smiled again, and watched with amusement when she put a hand to her heart, and stammered for a second. _

_"No, no. I'm sure whatever you decide will help the firm. You and Bingley own the place, I'm sure you know what you're doing." She stuttered after a few moments of silence._

Will's mind was on overdrive. Once again, his senses were haywire with emotions he thought he had been able to banish. His finger tips were on fire, and he could scarcely breathe without it being labored. He was only touching her waist, but damn, it felt good. She was looking everywhere but at him, and she was blushing a furious red he had come to adore.

But it couldn't be her! The girl coming over was "Bethy Boo," not Eliza… Beth. Bethy… Beth… oh hell.

He was looking into her eyes like he had imagined himself doing ever since he had left. How many dreams had he dreamed that had her smiling at him? Her scent washed over him in all of its glory, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. She was here! She was at his house; she had walked along the floor he had walked on, how many dreams had he dreamed of her standing next to him, hand in hand? Far too many to count. How many dreams had he had of her lips against his? The count was innumerable.

How desperately he wanted to kiss her again! He was still holding her in a dip, and just the thought of his hands on her waist sent his mind to mush, and he couldn't account for his thoughts or actions. He leaned forward even more, and found her neck against his lips in the gentlest fashion. He nuzzled it softly, taking in her scent and the pulse that hammered underneath his kiss.

"…Lizzie?" He breathed softly against her neck, and as he spoke, he got his emotions under control, and he settled her back onto her feet. He was so elated that she was here that he didn't think of the fact he was sweaty, wet, and shirtless. Picking her up in an enormous bear hug, he twirled her around, but then instantly stopped and put her down. He wasn't sure if she hated him still, why take the chance? But she stood there in front of him looking so cute and awkward that he almost lifted her and spun her around in joy again. Elizabeth! Here, in his home! But then, he thought back to the last time they had talked. Did she still hate him? He searched diligently at her features looking for any emotion that would seem like hate. Embarrassment, surprise, guilt, and another emotion he couldn't put his finger on colored her face. There was no anger, hurt, or indifference. Thank goodness for that! If he had seen that, he would have given up.

But her, here! Just the thought of showing her how he'd changed him made him want to show her the rooms, show her the tenants living on his property, show her everything! With a suppressed groan, he waited for her scarlet color to fade a little bit.

"Um… oh, er, hello, Will!" Lizzie tried vainly to suppress the emotions that crashed like waves over her system. She had felt his lips against her neck moments before, and yet he seemed so hesitant now that he was looking at her. With a painful wince, she remembered what she had said to him, and how hurt he had been. Did he hate her as much as she thought he did? She wanted to apologize for everything, but was worried that he was going to throw her out at any moment.

But then she thought back to Jane. He had seemed so arrogant, even when apologizing about it in the letter. She was just dying to ask if he really regretted it, but she was still waiting to see what he would do with her. She felt the heat on her face, and tried desperately to calm down. It didn't help that he was shirtless, and looked the Greek god.

The thought that he hated her made her feel like she was choking in the waves that crashed against her repeatedly. His deep sapphire eyes threatened to make her buckle right where she was, but if she did (because he just had to hate her) he'd most likely let her fall. She deserved it.

"H-… how've you been?" He asked apprehensively while he gauged her reaction. "How's your family?" Will inwardly winced as he recalled how he had roundly abused her family to her face. He didn't have a right to talk to ask her about them! Thankfully, she had composed herself even though she was blushing like mad.

"I'm fine… and so is my family. They're doing pretty well. Last time I heard at least. I got here and because of the long distance, phone calls are minimal." She muttered as she tried to look everywhere but at him. She remembered the last time he had talked about her family. They weren't good enough for him. But yet, the way she had spat about Wickham (at least he wasn't lying when he said her family was insane) and how he had written about the horrid man, it made her feel all the more guilty.

"That's… that's really good. You're Georgiana's friend, aren't you? You're the intern she goes on and on about." He smiled hesitantly, but when he saw her eyes flash in the light, his grin broadened. Lizzie was momentarily stunned as his face took on a dazzling display of happiness.

"Well, I'm interning here, and I work with your sister… Will I wouldn't have come if I'd known it was your home. I was just leaving… the only reason I stayed was because Gina said that you'd return tomorrow…. I didn't mean to intrude on your personal life." Will shook his head when she clasped her hands in front of her with embarrassment.

"N-no! I'm... Elizabeth, I'm really glad you're here." Will gushed. Lizzie was once again stunned as he grabbed her arm gently, and propelled her deeper into the house. "And now that you're here, how do you like it?"

"Your house is really beautiful." Said the overly embarrassed girl. She could feel the heat on her face, and she thought incoherently, _This all would have been mine if I married him._

_This all would have been hers if she had married me._ The thought ran through Will's head, but he banished it quickly. No sense living in the past when she was with him in the present. Glancing down, he saw that she was blushing again, and he guessed her thoughts. Not wanting her even more embarrassed than what she already felt, he settled her into a chair, and went to grab some cereal. Sheepishly, he came back to her bearing Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

"I never pegged you for it." She said thoughtfully as he poured some into a bowl.

"You always seemed surprised when I did something remotely childish." Will grumbled. Laughing, Lizzie remembered the first time she had run into him in New York City. Just the thought of him playing video games made her laugh even harder.

"You always thought that I was too much of a businessman to do things like eat sugared cereal or play Halo 2." Will mused with that taunting smile that made Lizzie's pulse pound. Why was he being so nice? She deserved to be thrown off of the premises, not given breakfast. Though… he did seem happy to have her here. But maybe that was just false hope.

"So…" Lizzie tried to come up with a conversation that didn't make anything overly awkward. She was slightly put off when Will burst into laughter.

"What? What'd I say?" She asked. Will just shook his head and kept laughing.

"I don't think you can base a conversation on, 'so…' Miss Bennett." He chuckled and waited for her to realize why it seemed so familiar.

"Oh… OH, oh!! Will, that's not funny!" She exclaimed with laughter. They fell silent, but it was a silence that seemed companionable to Will, but slightly awkward to Lizzie. She was so surprised to see him sitting there, still shirtless, that it took her breath away. It was as if he would disappear at any moment, and she was waiting for it to happen. But he didn't, and she was glad for it.

"Bethy Boo, you should've woken me up." A groggy voice interrupted the silence like a knife, and out came Gina, her eyes slits and her hair in a bedraggled mess. With a loud groan that only a girl could make comical, she opened her eyes wide, and took in the scene with a slight blur. Either Gina was seeing two Lizzies (two VERY different Lizzies) or someone else was in the room.

"WILL!" Gina cried and all amount of sleepiness was gone. She flung herself over to her brother, and wrapped her slender arms around his neck. Will smiled his heartwarming smile, and (after Lizzie restarted her heart) he grinned at her while mouthing, "little sisters…"

"I thought you were getting back tomorrow!" Gina exclaimed. When she had settled herself properly on her seat, she promptly began pouring her cereal into a large bowl, and ate it with gusto.

"I came back early. I had decided to cut the meeting short. Erik Brassard's wife was in the hospital, so I thought it would be better if he was with her, and not in some stupid meeting." He replied nonchalantly. Lizzie resisted the sudden urge to drop her jaw. The man before her… the one who had a blue tooth or a cell phone glued to his ear non stop in New York… stopped a business meeting short to let someone go home?

There was something different about him. Besides the fact that he was smiling warmly and almost all the time, the way he seemed so relaxed was slightly daunting. His whole demeanor and the feel about him seemed much warmer and carefree than when he was in the States, and it made Lizzie think. What happened that he had changed so much?

Will watched Lizzie out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to be thinking hard about something, and it was slightly worrying that she seemed so bent on figuring something out. What had happened to make her seem so thoughtful? And then he remembered- the last time she had seen him, he was dropping her unceremoniously onto her bed, and smirking like he had a right to be rude. Did she still think him like that? He searched her face, looking for any emotion that would seal his fate as undesirable. Besides the slight blush on her face, she seemed very surprised. There was no indifference, there was no anger. If anything, there was guilt.

"Er… hello? Wake up, sleepyheads!" Gina exclaimed, and threw a couple of cocoa puffs at Lizzie. Neither had realized that they had engaged into a battle of stares, but Gina found this amusing. Maybe there was romance blossoming? There was obvious adoration from her brother's side, but it was harder to tell with her friend. Lizzie seemed almost nervous around him. Georgie promised herself that she would pull these two together if it was the last thing she did.

**Ok, so this sucked. This was basically a filler, and a bad one at that. I wanted to get emotions in, but I think I rambled a bit too much. Ah well, tell me what you think!** **And, when my dad gets the computer fixed, I'll update as much as possible! I've really liked this story, it's been my favorite (I've grown attached…) but I also have good ideas for my other story (I'm starting it when I finish this one) Moonlight Sonata. Sorry if you people have waited too long!!**


	24. Author's Note!

Ok guys, my computer is FINALLY up and running! I'm soooo sorry for such the long wait, and I've just read all the reviews I've gotten, and I'm so sorry!  
I definitely plan on getting this finished, I hate leaving projects undone, like piano, guitar, soccer, voice lessons, horse back riding, painting… haha, yeah…

So, anyways, I'm working on the next chapter, and I'm going to see how things go from there!

Keep having faith in me!  
And oh yeah, by the way…

A shout out to Random Person:

Thanks for all your messages and reviews, trying to get me going! You people who've read as I had updated, and those who I've never seen before, thanks for reading, and thanks for your reviews! If you ever read those personal things at the top of my chapters, I gush on and on about reviews…

I'm addicted.

Haha, yeah…

And, I've decided that Moonlight Sonata is waaaaay weird. There's too many points I'm blank on. So, I went through, edited, and now it's the new and improved, Lyricle lies! So, when it's posted, PLEASE read that too! Thanks!

So, to stem off the wait until I can get an actual chapter going, Here's a little "sneak preview" of one of the upcoming chapters!!!

-Death-Cab-4-Cutie!

"_**Miss Bennett… please g-gain a hold of yourself." He snapped with not enough annoyance. To his horror, he liked the idea of her sitting there, and watching him so intently. His eyes fluttered closed as she placed kisses down his neck. He managed not to groan as she unbuttoned his jacked, and loosened his tie slightly. He cursed as his muscles tensed when she ran a hand down his chest. She then pulled back with a smirk.**_

"_**Can I please have that back?" She repeated the question, leaning in more. Her lips parted slightly, and she leaned in closer. His breath was coming out quickly, and he could barely contain himself. It took all of his will just to not kiss her right then and there. The spark that he had felt when they had danced came rushing back, and he had to restrain himself with thoughts of what might happen if they were found.**_

_**She's really pretty.**__** His mind whispered to him deviously. His sub-conscious was trying to trick him, and he was not having that. Her curls were their deep brown and haloed her face perfectly. Though her cheeks were flushed from drinking so much, her eyes sparkled mischievously.**_

"_**You're not being nice." She whispered as she leaned in next to his ear. Will resisted even more, but he found his arm lowering slowly. He rose it back up in alarm that she was having this effect on him. Her eyes gazed at him brightly, and he longed just to kiss her. His moral was breaking slightly, and he knew she knew it.**_

_**Grinning she looked back at him, and reached up to grab hold of the bottle. Triumphantly, she seized it, and pulled it away, careful not to move too fast. She inhaled as she saw his brilliant sapphire eyes gaze at her with emotion, and smelt the brilliant sharp smell of peppermint and something she couldn't name.**_

"_**Thank you." She breathed, but as she moved to go back to her post, Darcy broke the spell, and kissed her. It was nothing deep, but it was intense. The feeling of her lips against his sent Will on edge, and he could barely hold himself back as she kissed him back, her eyes closed. Her skin burned his, and Will breathed in her scent of lavender and vanilla.**_

_**Lizzie was on all ends, shocked. She could barely think straight with the alcohol, but when he kissed her, any attempt at thought was futile. His skin was smooth, his hair thick and messy; his kiss intense. She breathed in sharply at his touch, and desired more. Her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, and she traced his back muscles underneath his jacket. Will's nerves stood on end, and he placed butterfly kisses across her cheek, and down her neck. Lizzie's eyes flew open at the sudden burning feeling that had nothing to do with the alcohol, and without warning, pulled herself away, her eyes wide.**_

Lizzie jerked awake with wide eyes, and a hammering heart. For a moment, she had no clue where she was, or what she was doing. She could feel a heat pressed against her side, and she turned to see Will Darcy snuggled against her on the couch of his theatre room. His eyes were closed, and his thick hair lay across his face naturally, but still messy. Lizzie smiled, but her smile fell off her face as she recalled her dream.

_ "Are_ _you sure you don't remember anything?" He asked hopefully, praying he didn't have to explain anything._

"_No, I can't remember anything. How did I get so drunk?" She asked as she accepted another cup of coffee. Will had been awake for a couple hours now, and was willing to give it up._

Pictures and dialogue filtered into her mind, and Lizzie nearly fell off the couch. She had kissed him long before she had known he lov-liked her! Hell, they had made out in a freaking wine closet!

"You've got to be kidding me…" She groaned, pressing her fists into her eyes, trying not to laugh hysterically. Lizzie hoped that the memories would fade from her mind, but the drunken slurs that she had said and done seemed permanently imprinted on her skull.

"Why me?" She asked angrily, and was about to get up and off the couch in mortification when an arm snaked around her waist and held her. Glancing down in alarm, Lizzie saw that he was pulling her closer, sleep still hooking him.

"And yet…" She muttered, snuggling down, "This seems ok too."

----------- ----------- -----------

Will opened his eyes slowly, and glanced blearily around. The television was still on, but the glow from it let him see the peaceful slumber of the woman of his dreams. Yet, it could still be a dream, why not enjoy it?

Pulling her closer, he breathed in her scent, and caressed her neck slowly. Kissing her softly, he smiled in victory when he heard her moan sleepily. He moved slightly, and was surprised when her eyes opened into slits, and she stared at him slowly, her heard hammering. He could hear her pulse as blood raced underneath her skin, and he hesitantly kissed her full on the mouth.

The reaction was everything he had wanted, and more. How long had it been since they had touched each other, since he had been able to hug her curves and appreciate her perfected anatomy? Time stood on a heated end as she kissed him back fully, her eyes closed but her emotions wide awake and running full speed.

Pulling back slightly, Will was breathing heavily as he stroked her cheek and stared into her bright green eyes.

"Elizabeth, I have to tell you, I can't wait a moment longer. I-"

Something buzzed on Lizzie's hip, and she saw her cellphone was vibrating crazily. Picking it up when she saw it was Jane, Lizzie glanced apologetically and clicked the send button to receive the call.

"Jane? Hey, wait… what's the matter?" Lizzie scrambled up from the couch, her eyes wide and staring. Will stood up, feeling an urge to protect the suddenly alert and worried girl. He could hear crying on the other end.

"Jane, slow down, I have no idea what you're- oh no."


	25. Water Balloons

Ok, so this has not been edited, so sorry for you grammar guru's (if I even spelled that right) so please bear with me, I'll try to make this as painless as possible. Yeah…

Disclaimer- Do I even have to say it?

Now, I have tried to get this in as fast as possible, so it's probably not my best. Though, every time I state I like a chapter, it's held with a raised eyebrow, and every time I say I don't like it, you guys like it a lot. So, we'll have to wing it here…

And thank you all once again for your wonderful reviews! I got home from a long day of being a freshmen, and I had 28 messages, saying this story was being alerted, favorited, and I had about 15 reviews too! Thanks so much for your support!

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"Yes, I just need to be picked up. I stole a ride from Georgie to get here, but I don't want to trouble them with a ride back." Lizzie muttered into the phone while she tried not to get caught by the duo that cooked in the kitchen. The teamwork was daunting.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Her aunt asked with a small smile when she heard the slight hysteria. She knew the thought of staying in the house with him for too long would kill her niece.

"NO… no. Please come and get me?" Lizzie was practically begging to her aunt. Mrs. Gardiner pursed her lips, but her jaw dropped when she heard a slight squeal of surprise, and a high pitched voice scream, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING, BETHY BOO?"

Lizzie's phone was cut off, and when her aunt heard the dial tone, she raised her eyebrow.

"Bethy… boo?"

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"You're staying here with me and Will, and you're going to like it." Georgie declared with a large smile. Lizzie looked like she was fighting back laughter, and pretended to fight against the handcuffs.

"Georgie… do you have the keys to these?" Lizzie asked incredulously when she dropped the façade. Will was still cooking a lunch for the three of them and refused to turn and meet her gaze.

"Oh yeah, of course I do!" She exclaimed with a leer. Lizzie grinned and shrugged.

"So, when do I get parole for good behavior?" She joked with a large smile and a wink. Will turned around in disbelief when he heard their conversation, and when their eyes locked, he turned around quickly in embarrassment.

"Oh, you have to ask Will about that. He's the head guard, and he's the guy with the actual keys to these. But you have to ask nicely, he's a little stingy." Georgiana grinned when she saw her brother's back stiffen slightly.

"Who says I'm stingy? I think I'm a little giving, if I do say so myself." Will muttered as he turned around and set a few large bowls onto the table. Lizzie stared hungrily and disbelievingly at what he was setting before her.

"You've got to be kidding me." She muttered, gazing upon the wonderfully prepared Japanese food.

"Do you like Japanese food?" He asked softly as he sat down next to her uncertainly. Pulling the key out of his pants pocket, he set to work the key into the lock when it snapped in half. Slowly, he pulled the handle end of the key out, and all three sat there, staring in shock.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Lizzie grumbled, her eyes wide and slightly angry. Turning her face towards Georgie, she stood up slowly, and began walking towards the teenager with a strange, calm, somewhat oddly serene face.

"Lizzie… I didn't know it would break… Lizzie- Lizzie we really don't have to… Will, get her! Lizzie- NO!" Georgie squealed as her brother suddenly came up behind her and cradled her before they began jogging down the hall. Lizzie followed with a raised eyebrow, not exactly knowing where they were going, but Will and Georgie both had perfect clarity as to the direction they were taking.

"Will, if you take one more step towards it, I'll kill you!" Georgie vowed, struggling to get out of his vice like grip. Will grinned brightly, and picked up his pace, calling out to Lizzie as he did so, "I think I can find another key. But, Georgie needs a little refreshing swim, don't you think?"

"FITZWILLIAM AIDEN DARCY, IF YOU TAKE ONE MORE STEP!" Georgie didn't have a chance to finish her vow though, as Fitzwilliam Aiden Darcy dropped her into the pool, and smiled victoriously as his sister came spluttering to the top, her pajamas soaked and a glint in her eye.

"This," she muttered dangerously, picking her way slowly to the edge of the pool, "Is war!"

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The dark hallways seemed eerie and awkward as a figure shifted through the shadows and slipped among the draperies that covered the large windows. Sunlight streamed brightly outside, but the thick, sinister black curtains suppressed the light like wind to a flame. Slipping onto the floor, the outline couldn't be seen clearly enough until it was too late.

But it was supposed to be that way.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Another person hissed softly as two other people crept down the stairs. Her partner rolled their eyes before pulling her into an alcove, right as someone walked past. She gasped, surprised that one; she had almost been caught, and two; the heat emitting from her partner made her thoughts foggy. Lizzie tried to pull back slowly, but strong arms wrapped around her. A muttered curse slipped from her lips.

"Will, w-we sh-shouldn-"

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Will whispered into her hair, smiling slightly at the disgruntled and paranoid outline of Lizzie. It still amazed him how simple it was to wrap his arms around her; it was almost fickle how she seemed to fit against him so well.

"So you quote Hamlet?" She mumbled more to herself than to him.

"Naturally. Any real gentlemen would know how to quote Shakespeare." Will teased lightly. Lizzie blushed, knowing he was making light of their touchy subject. Her heart thudding in her chest, Lizzie knew they needed to talk about it. She couldn't keep it cooped up much longer.

"But you're hardly a gentlemen." Lizzie pointed out flippantly a smile curving her lips slightly. Will chuckled, the sound vibrating along his chest, and Lizzie laughed, once again marveling at the change in him. She was defiantly sure she liked this change.

"I think I've heard that before…" He mused lightly, a wince nearly marring his stunning smile. He wanted so bad to talk to her about it, get it out. He thought she didn't hate him, but who's to say she was only putting a brave front up? Looking down at her face, he could see that it was casual. Months before, it would have been twisted in annoyance being this close to him. That much he was sure.

Lizzie could hardly breathe. She was sure she'd crumple if he wasn't holding her up, but even then it was a close one. She took a shuddering breath, almost convulsing. Pent up emotion seemed to be building and building, she couldn't get it out, but she wanted to.

"Lizzie?" Will asked, leaning closer. His eyes bore into hers, and though it was dark he could see the reflection of what light there was in her blue eyes. Blinking again, he saw that they were green, and he smiled at her uniqueness. Now was the time. Now was the time to tell her.

Lizzie could hardly contain herself. She knew it deep down, why deny it? She was completely in love with him! It was not only guilt that held her back, it was love! Why had it taken this long to say something? Why had it taken so long? Call it the dark, or the way his arms enveloped her, but it made her want to pour her soul out. Looking up, she could almost see his eyes gazing into hers, and leaning in slightly, she could hear his heart beat.

Will grabbed her chin lightly, and pulled her face closer to his. Lizzie flicked her eyes in a different direction, but he caught her stare as quickly as it was gone. Time seemed to freeze as he leaned in slowly, the most cliché but sweetest movement she had ever seen. A fairytale like wonder took over her mind, and she went to meet him half way.

"Lizzie, I-"

"GOT YOU!" A high pitched squeal came from above, and suddenly, the entire hall was lit with light, and both members of the party looked up in time to see a dozen or so water balloons come crashing onto their heads.

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Gina smiled in victory as the water balloons came crashing down onto their heads. She saw them both take off running, their faces perfect masks of embarrassment and worry. She knew he'd probably whisk her off somewhere so they could talk.

"Good," she mused as she picked her way through the now lightened halls, "Now they're getting somewhere!"

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Ok, wow, this was lame. Never mind about my earlier comment. Short, and lame. But, I am sort of rushed, so review, nu??!!


	26. Melody and Tae

**Anatomy of the Heart: Chapter 25**

**Ok guys, it's been awhile. But, after that wasted speech, I have a confession to make. I'm… just… lazy. I'm sorry. But, it's true. ******

**So if I finish this thing for once, I'm going to throw a party. **

**Disclaimer- Not Mine. **

* * *

Lizzie glared jokingly at Gina as she wiped her work surface clean. It was an early Monday morning, and the interning had been pretty slow. Not a lot of people had been in needing help, and the "boss man" hadn't given them a lot to do. Not that they were complaining. The two were much busier replaying the scene yesterday that had been interrupted by Gina's dozen or so exploding balloons.

"You have to admit, _Eliza_," Gina exaggerated Lizzie's most hated name. "It was pretty funny the way you guys took off running like that would stop you from getting wet."

"We were soaked, and I wanted to change." Lizzie pouted slightly, humoring her friend. The day before had been based on sneak attacks, surprises, sabotage, and a fun dinner of steak and salad.

"Elizabeth, Gina, we have the ultra-sound from the patient, you should come on and see this." One of the other interns on the team poked his head in the door, flashing a smile at Lizzie before turning around and running off.

"You realize Dennis likes you?" Georgie pointed out bluntly as they walked down the white washed halls, passing an old woman in a wheel chair, grinning toothily.

"And… what's your point?" She asked, ignoring the grin tugging at Gina's smile.

"Why don't you try to hook up with him?" The question made Lizzie balk and stutter for a second.

"Well… I don't know… I guess… um- why does it matter? He's not my type." She said distractedly, walking into the room and over to the ultra-sound scanner. Three different transparent sheets were clipped onto the board, and the light was on, displaying the heart proudly to them.

"Whoa." Lizzie breathed in, distracted by the picture. The veins were two times smaller than an average man's veins, also the capillaries and the arteries. It caused the heart to swell three times its size, near exploding. The membrane over the heart was ripped to make room for the organ, but even that wasn't enough. If they didn't figure something out for this quick, the man would die.

"Growth hormone?" Gina asked softly, noticing how intense Lizzie was staring at the picture. Whenever she had a job to do, she was focused 100.

"It's amazing. How has he been able to live with that? The amount of blood enriched oxygen has to have been lessened considerably because of that. How could we enlarge the veins to lessen the swelling of the heart?" She murmured under her breath. Her finger reached out cautiously, and she traced the outline of the organ.

"Maybe a stroke of luck?" Georgie asked playfully, but worried. She had never seen something like this before.

"The anatomy… is superb. Almost… but that can't be. Even though there's a near explosive heart… Georgie, the fact that this man's been alive for years like this… you could almost say that his body was planned like this." Lizzie muttered under her breath, taking notes on her clipboard.

"The human body does find ways to work around problems, doesn't it." Georgie agreed with a grimace. The statement made Elizabeth pause, and she stood staring at the sheets longer than one should have. The only thing that stopped her from looking at the heart was light hands settling on her shoulders.

"Lizzie?" Someone asked in a deeper, male voice. Gasping in surprise (Lizzie was known for zoning out when she was concentrating) Lizzie whirled around to see Charlie Bingley standing in front of her, a beaming smile on his face. Back behind him stood Caroline Bingley who was draped around Darcy like a coat. Disgust wrinkled her nose, but Lizzie managed to be polite and smile at the red headed dragon.

"Charlie! Darcy… Caroline! How… nice to see you!" Lizzie said with a covert wink at Georgie. Smiling deviously, Georgie ran over and hugged Caroline tightly, causing the plastic female to fall back off of Will easily. He seemed relieved to be rid of her for the moment, and crossed the space to stand next to Charlie.

"How are you doing, Elizabeth? He asked, studying her thoughtful, surprised face. It was amazing how many emotions could show in her eyes, and be displayed on her features, and it surprised him every time.

"I'm… shocked. How have you been, Charlie? It really has been a long time!" Elizabeth struggled to compose her features as she stared at the suddenly bashful red head in front of her.

"I'm fine… just fine. Everything's been going… fine." He seemed embarrassed to be talking to her, and to prove it, he looked over her shoulder, seeing the heart. "Whoa, what's wrong with him?"

"Oh," Elizabeth said, glad that there wasn't an awkward silence. She felt Darcy's gaze on her as she turned around, and flustered, she struggled to compose herself. "His heart's been near combustion because of too thin arteries and veins. It causes the heart to become unstable."

Darcy stared at the heart in shock at the familiarity it was to his. Glancing back down at Lizzie, he felt a familiar jerking in his chest.

He felt that way every time he saw her.

* * *

"So I decided that Australia's just not the place for me to be. I made Charles come back here." Caroline drawled with a smirk as she noticed everyone looking at her. Well, everyone except Elizabeth and Georgiana, who were both too busy playing around on the large piano in the room. After getting the two off work for the week, it was decided that they would all "get to know one another" as Caroline put it because, "she hadn't seen her dear Georgiana in such a wretched long time".

"We're all glad that you came back, Caro." Lizzie said mechanically when she felt Caroline's hard gaze settle on her. The whole evening had been slightly awkward with Caroline clinging to Will, and Charlie's constant stammering slowly wearing down on Lizzie's nerves. The only escape for her had been when Georgie pulled her over to the grand piano and demanded that she play.

"And I'm so glad that you decided to intern over here in England, Eliza. I do miss Jane and the… stimulating conversations we had." Lizzie laughed and turned back to the piano, noticing the way Will's gaze was settled on her. It was a steady gaze of someone not wanting to be deterred, and it both unsettled her and made her excited.

"But I miss America and all of the people there! Everyone drew so close to one another, and it was very sad when people left, wasn't it? Especially for your family when that Whickam man left, right?" Caroline's thin lips curled into a grin as she said this, her cat like eyes flickering over to Will's face to see his reaction. She was not disappointed.

The entire room fell into a dead silence as each person stared at one another, watching their faces carefully. Charlie stared blankly at Caroline, and she stared triumphantly at Will. Will had suddenly gone rigid in his chair, his relaxed pose forgotten. Every line seemed stiff and alert, and his eyes were narrowed, seeing past the people in the room, almost as if he could see the traitor himself. Georgie too was in a stiff pose, her eyes downcast, and she took deep breaths, trying to compose herself. Lizzie knew she had to do something.

"People come and people go, Caroline. Everyone leaves a dent in people's memories and lives, and you always learn from others. Seeing anyone leave is sad, but knowing you learned something from them is what makes it ok." She replied hesitantly, carefully grabbing Georgie's shoulder and shaking it.

"Have you ever played a duet?" She asked mischievously, winking at Georgie. Smiling, Georgie shook off the sudden chill that had engulfed her. _Yes, Lizzie would do well with Will_, she thought as she saw her brother visibly calm himself and attempt to relax again. His eyes were back on the brunette, but instead of the stupor of boredom he would usually sport, he was watching her carefully, something border lining disbelief in his eyes.

"Well… of course. But, I hear the interning here is a step up from New York." Caroline sniffed, slightly miffed.

"Mum says that we can go to see New York one day."

"No stoopid, mum sad we could see it if we graduated."

"What's gradutated?"

"Well I dunno…"

Everyone in the room stared about, trying to see where the noise had come from. Suddenly, Georgie sprang from her spot at the piano and scooped up two little children from the doorway. She laughed as they both squealed and tried to wriggle away, but suddenly Will was there too, grabbing a little girl and swinging her through the air, tickling her as she giggled hysterically.

Lizzie watched transfixed by the radiating happiness that rolled off of Will in waves. His sapphire eyes glowed with happiness and mischievousness as he tickled (Lizzie assumed) his niece.

"Fitzy!! Stop it!! MOMMY!!" The girl squealed in a high pitched voice that echoed off the walls. The mommy was in fact tickling the girl's brother, and was in no position to save her.

"Ok… ok. Have you had enough, Melody?" Will asked with a childish grin, setting her down slowly. The girl nodded solemnly, crossing her finger over her heart in an x shape. She turned slowly, looking around the room and stopped when she spotted Lizzie.

"Who are you?" She walked over slowly, taking sure steps on her slightly wobbly legs. Lizzie smiled and stuck out a hand.

"I'm Lizzie. What's your name?" Lizzie asked with a smile and a wink. Georgie had set the little boy in her lap and watched with a slight smile.

"I'm Melody. Lizzie's a pretty name. You're pretty." She shyly smiled and lifted her arms to be held. Lizzie obliged, and looked up to see Will and Georgie's looks of identical surprise. The little boy wriggled out of his mother's grasp and bounded over.

"I'm Tae." He proudly proclaimed and clamored onto her knee.

"Tae!" Georgie scolded. "Ask first!" Lizzie shook her head and held the two very identical twins. They both had dark blue eyes that stared wide and innocent at her, and thick black hair, a fact that surprised Lizzie. She had been expecting Georgie's shade of blond. Both were pale and had a small mole on the right side of their faces. Melody's hair was held in small pigtails, whereas Tae's was a mess all over his head.

"They look more like me a lot of people say." Lizzie looked up to see Will towering over her, his eyes smoldering.

"Very close. Complexions are off and you don't have a birth mark-"

"Not one you can see." Will said softly, settling down next to her. Caroline was silent, staring at them with angry eyes, and Charlie talked with Georgie conversationally, but all of this was lost to Lizzie. She was staring at Will intensely, trying not to blush at his statement. She couldn't help but notice how close he sat, or how his hand brushed her thigh ever so slightly.

"Well that's a little intriguing." Lizzie grinned and looked down at the two kids now playing thumb wars on her lap. Giggling, they suddenly sprung up and began chasing each other unsteadily around the piano, and then ran up to Caroline. She began shrieking as they attempted to climb up onto her lap, and as Charlie and Gina rushed to her rescue, Will leaned in close to Lizzie.

"Want to go watch a movie without this bunch?" he asked with a coy smile and a nod towards the door. Grinning mischievously, Lizzie stood up with him and crept towards the door. With the entire ruckus going on, no one noticed the two slipping away.

"Well that was close. Poor Caroline now has to handle those two." Will joked as he rolled his eyes. Lizzie laughed as she followed the smiling Will down the hall, taking a left, a right, and a second left before opening a random door. Stepping in, she gasped at the sheer size of the room.

It was a theatre room in a slightly smaller size. With large recliners and sofas in place of theatre seats, they were raised on risers, one after another in five large rows. A projector screen was behind half open velvet red curtains, and the screen glowed a calm, steady blue.

"Whoa." Lizzie muttered, walked hesitantly into the room, her hands trailing along a very comfortable couch. She sat down on one as Will walked foreword, and didn't let her see what movie he had chosen for them. Setting down next to her, an awkward silence ensued.

"So…" Will started to say something, but when he looked over at her he couldn't say a word. She looked so beautiful he couldn't help but just stare. Lizzie glanced at him, and laughed.

"You look like you have something to say." She teased him, relaxing slightly on the couch. "What movie is it?"

"You'll just have to see." He told her with a grin. After a few moments of silence, she gasped.

"No way, you have this movie!" She almost shrieked as she saw the main menu for Edward Scissor Hands.

"Of course I do. It's an all time favorite." His British accent was low and seemed slightly course, but maybe she was imagining things. There was a comfortable silence as Elizabeth became engrossed with the plot, and Will tossed glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking.

Sometime during the movie, Will couldn't be sure when, Elizabeth fell asleep, head on his lap. It had started on his shoulder, but as she dozed he finally made her more comfortable, and had settled down for the rest of the movie. But sleep seemed to tug at him, and by the end of the movie, the two could be found lying on the couch, arms around each other in a close embrace.

* * *

**Ok, so this was short, but I am pretty busy with a sudden job I got. I'm so sorry for how long this story has taken to update! **

**I'll try to get this next chapter done better; I know I hassled this one. **


	27. Picture Perfect

Whoo

**Whoo! So, I'm back on track, yes I am! Haha, and I just remembered how I was going to tie everything together. Silly me, I almost forgot the ending to my own story! Anywho… **

**Give me twenty reviews and I'll totally update ASAP! **

**You know I will. I always do! **

**And thank you for being patient, here is the moment you've all been waiting for, and asking about!**

**Here you go kiddies…**

* * *

"_**Miss Bennett… please g-gain a hold of yourself." He snapped with not enough annoyance. To his horror, he liked the idea of her sitting there, and watching him so intently. His eyes fluttered closed as she placed kisses down his neck. He managed not to groan as she unbuttoned his jacked, and loosened his tie slightly. He cursed as his muscles tensed when she ran a hand down his chest. She then pulled back with a smirk.**_

"_**Can I please have that back?" She repeated the question, leaning in more. Her lips parted slightly, and she leaned in closer. His breath was coming out quickly, and he could barely contain himself. It took all of his will just to not kiss her right then and there. The spark that he had felt when they had danced came rushing back, and he had to restrain himself with thoughts of what might happen if they were found.**_

_**She's really pretty.**__** His mind whispered to him deviously. His sub-conscious was trying to trick him, and he was not having that. Her curls were their deep brown and haloed her face perfectly. Though her cheeks were flushed from drinking so much, her eyes sparkled mischievously.**_

"_**You're not being nice." She whispered as she leaned in next to his ear. Will resisted even more, but he found his arm lowering slowly. He rose it back up in alarm that she was having this effect on him. Her eyes gazed at him brightly, and he longed just to kiss her. His moral was breaking slightly, and he knew she knew it.**_

_**Grinning she looked back at him, and reached up to grab hold of the bottle. Triumphantly, she seized it, and pulled it away, careful not to move too fast. She inhaled as she saw his brilliant sapphire eyes gaze at her with emotion, and smelt the brilliant sharp smell of peppermint and something she couldn't name.**_

"_**Thank you." She breathed, but as she moved to go back to her post, Darcy broke the spell, and kissed her. It was nothing deep, but it was intense. The feeling of her lips against his sent Will on edge, and he could barely hold himself back as she kissed him back, her eyes closed. Her skin burned his, and Will breathed in her scent of lavender and vanilla.**_

_**Lizzie was on all ends, shocked. She could barely think straight with the alcohol, but when he kissed her, any attempt at thought was futile. His skin was smooth, his hair thick and messy; his kiss intense. She breathed in sharply at his touch, and desired more. Her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, and she traced his back muscles underneath his jacket. Will's nerves stood on end, and he placed butterfly kisses across her cheek, and down her neck. Lizzie's eyes flew open at the sudden burning feeling that had nothing to do with the alcohol, and without warning, pulled herself away, her eyes wide.**_

Lizzie jerked awake with wide eyes, and a hammering heart. For a moment, she had no clue where she was, or what she was doing. She could feel something pressed against her side, and she turned to see Will Darcy snuggled against her on the couch of his theatre room. His eyes were closed, and his thick hair lay across his face naturally, but still messy. Lizzie smiled, but her smile fell off her face as she recalled her dream.

_ "Are_ _you sure you don't remember anything?" He asked hopefully, praying he didn't have to explain anything._

"_No, I can't remember anything. How did I get so drunk?" She asked as she accepted another cup of coffee. Will had been awake for a couple hours now, and was willing to give it up._

Pictures and dialogue filtered into her mind, and Lizzie nearly fell off the couch. She had kissed him long before she had been told he loved her! Hell, they had made out in a freaking wine closet!

"You've got to be kidding me…" She groaned, pressing her fists into her eyes, trying not to laugh hysterically. Lizzie hoped that the memories would fade from her mind, but the drunken slurs that she had said and done seemed permanently imprinted on her skull.

"Why me?" She asked angrily, and was about to get up and off the couch in mortification when an arm snaked around her waist and held her. Glancing down in alarm, Lizzie saw that he was pulling her closer, sleep still hooking him. A small smile was on his face that seemed so innocent that her heart slowed down slightly at the sight of him.

"And yet…" She muttered, snuggling down, "This seems ok too."

* * *

Will opened his eyes slowly, and glanced blearily around. The television was still on, but the glow from it let him see the peaceful slumber of the woman of his dreams. Yet, it could still be a dream, why not enjoy it?

Pulling her closer, he breathed in her scent, and pressed his face into her hair that always smelled so sweet. Kissing her softly on the cheek, he smiled in victory when he heard her moan sleepily. He moved slightly, and was surprised when her eyes opened into slits, and she stared at him slowly. Nuzzling her softly on the neck, he could feel her pulse as blood raced underneath her skin, and he hesitantly kissed her full on the mouth.

The reaction was everything he had wanted, and more. How long had it been since they had held each other, since he had been able to hug her curves and appreciate her perfected anatomy? Time stood on a heated end as she kissed him back fully, her eyes closed but her emotions wide awake and running full speed.

Pulling back slightly, Will was breathing heavily as he pulled her closer and stared into her bright green eyes.

"Elizabeth, I have to tell you, I can't wait a moment longer. I-"

Something buzzed on Lizzie's hip, and she saw her cell phone was vibrating crazily. Picking it up when she saw it was Jane; Lizzie glanced apologetically and clicked the send button to receive the call.

"Jane? Hey, wait… what's the matter?" Lizzie scrambled up from the couch, her eyes wide and staring. Will stood up, feeling an urge to protect the suddenly alert and worried girl. He could hear a loud noise and crying on the other end.

"Jane, slow down, I have no idea what you're- oh no." Elizabeth was teetering back and forth as the hysterical girl on the other end ranted and went on about something. Will put a supportive arm around her shoulder, setting her back on the couch, but as the crying on the other end hit a climax, Lizzie stood back up again and her eyes were suddenly glazed with tears.

"No." She whispered, her heart racing. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to.

"Are you sure?" She asked, surprised at how weak her voice had gotten, or how shaky she felt. It was the same feeling she had suffered when she had run her first marathon on a full stomach. She may have gotten first in the race, but the first thing to hit the ground afterwards was her stomach contents. Resisting that urge, Lizzie put her hand to her head, and leaned on the backs of her feet.

"Yes, no problem. Of course. Jane, don't feel bad. Naturally. Let me get some things, ok? I will. Breathe Jane, breathe. Yes, I love you." With that, her phone snapped shut, and Lizzie just stood there, breathing raggedly. Her heart was thudding erratically in her rib cage, and she could hear her hysterical wheezing as she tried not to cry.

"Lizzie?" Will asked hesitantly, not wanting to make her snap. It was obvious that something had happened to her family, but he wasn't sure what. Standing up, he walked over, and hugged her. The effect he had been wanting was the opposite of what happened. Instead of telling him what was going on, Lizzie burst into tears, her shoulders shaking with grief. Panicked, Will turned her around, and pulled her back to the couch, letting her lean on him as she cried.

"Lizzie, what happened?" he asked urgently. She merely shook her head, and folded her legs up in a pretzel style, trying to calm her cries. After a few minutes, she was wiping away stray tears, and able to talk. Her voice shook, and she stood up, facing away from him.

"Lydia decided that it would be best to run off with… someone. After this decision, her and her friend stole a car and the person persuaded her to go with him to Mexico. They were stopped of course. My sister is so stupid!" She snapped suddenly, tears forming around her eyes again. "She now has a court date in a week giving her a sentence for auto-theft."

"Who was her accomplice?" Will asked kindly, standing up. He knew she was angry only because she was so upset.

"….kam." The rest of the name was lost to him.

"Pardon?" He asked kindly, cocking his head to the side. He couldn't hear with the way she was mumbling.

"… I said… Jack Wickam." She whispered, looking anywhere but him. Will froze from stepping towards her, and he felt himself sit down slowly. All he could see in his mind's eye was the doctor's report on his sister's condition.

_"She… was used badly, sir." The doctor said slowly, hesitantly. Most people around knew Mr. Darcy's reputation for a temper._

_"How badly?" Will asked, his voice only hard and angry out of fear. He wasn't able to see his sister at the moment, and his concern was consuming him slowly._

_"Well, Mr. Darcy, I would say that by the results… she was raped." The doctor looked away, not wanting to see the tall, proud man crumple. He didn't need to worry though. Will immediately turned his heel, and walked down the hallway to the other patient's room. _

_"You prick!" He thundered, brushing past people like they were simple cobwebs. The man looked startled, and he had obvious trouble focusing. _

_"What?" He asked innocently. Will leaned down, face to face with the culprit of his anger. _

_"Touch her again." He whispered. When the man's face spit into a smirk, Will grabbed him, pulling him off of the gurney, and slammed him into a wall. _

_"Touch her again." He hissed, his voice dangerously quiet. It was then that the man realized just how much danger he was in. _

"I'm so sorry, but I really need to go. How could I be so stupid? Leaving her alone like that, that girl never had any sense! And to think, I could have stopped this!" The memory was disintegrated like fog in a bright light, and then he saw Elizabeth, shoulders stooped, crying softly. Concern gripped him again, and he crossed the space, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"It's not your fault. It's mine for trying to keep everything quiet. If I hadn't asked you to keep silent, he would have been shown for the real monster he is." Will pulled her towards him, surprised when she leaned into him.

"You need to not blame yourself. I'll arrange for someone to take you to my jet. It's more comfortable and will get you there faster." He smiled slightly, trying to imagine how anyone would think of comfort when they were so worried. Lizzie turned back to him, her eyes watery, and a dark forest green. She leaned against his chest, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you… so much. You have no idea how much I'm in your debt." She whispered before pulling away, and kissing him lightly on the cheek. Will smiled weakly, before relinquishing her from his grip.

"Go and pack, the jet will be ready soon." He told her in a supportive voice, contrary to the turmoil in his gut. Elizabeth left the room at a quick pace, her steps quiet but sure. The moment she was gone, he burst into a run, going through the countless halls until he finally found his office. Bursting through the doors, he quickly made a few calls, careful to sound professional and brisk before he hung up, and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

Once again, Wickam was back! The moment things went well, he was suddenly there, a looming shadow hanging over Will's life. With an angry snort, Will turned back to his desk, grabbing the phone for another call. As he picked up the cell, his attention was turned to something on his desk that had never been there before. Will would have laughed, if the situation had been a bit brighter.

It was a picture of him and Elizabeth, sleeping on the couch.

* * *

**Whoo! I got that done quickly! Uh oh, what's going to happen? **

**I would tell you now, but that would ruin the story. **

**Remember, Twenty Reviews!!**


	28. Clipped and Polished

**Ok, so I got a slam of reviews right after posting that. Haha, thanks for that. Reading those always gives me inspiration for the minor details in the next chapter. **

**Yes, that was very, very sad. I always hated the scenes when Wickam comes back. It's so… depressing. Also, one of you asked why he wasn't in jail if the doctor says there was sufficient evidence of the rape. :) All I can say is all will be explained. I hate loose ends, and that, good people would be a loose end.**

**OH! And I bought my own puppy!! He's so cuddly and cute! I love how he sits in my lap and just stares at the screen while I type out chapters like a howitzer. He's adorable, and has given me ideas for my other story! YAY PUPPIES!**

**OH! Another thing… I'm also writing another story, Lyrical Lies, so if you people can check up on it, review… all that Jazz. I'm having trouble getting a jump start with reviewers on it, but if you people can read it, give me feed back, I can see where I want to go with it. PLEASE!? Thanks! Though, I seem to be having trouble with it showing up when it says it's been posted with an update… so yeah. If you people have any info on that, do share, please?**

**Anywho…**

**Well, I've rambled up top long enough. Time to get back to the already scheduled story you guys have been waiting for!**

* * *

Will leaned his head against the jet's window, staring into the dark clouds right below him. Anger coursed through him like the blood in his veins, swift and red. Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could see was that monster's face contorted into a smirk. It haunted him, and succeeded in its purpose of driving him mad.

"Sir, we will be landing in an hour or so. Also, miss Bennett arrived on time to her home yesterday. She is safe and sound." The stewardess stared with pity at the man in the leather chair, wanting to say something encouraging. He once sat straight and tall, brooding one would say, but now he was slumped as low as possible, his face drawn in almost defeat. He looked up at her, eyes red from lack of sleep and shadows haunting his gaze.

"Thank you." He forced himself to say as he suppresseda yawn. He straightened up, glancing again out of the window before standing up and stretching.

"There's food in the mini fridge if you're hungry, sir." She told him with a smile before turning around and walking to the front of the plane. Will walked to the back, but passed the mini kitchen set and walked into the restroom. Looking into the mirror, he winced at his apparel. He hadn't bothered to change, pack, or shave for that matter. He had taken only a quick shower, and even then it was cold.

_"Will, what's going on?" Georgie looked at him in concern as he strode past with a panicked purpose._

_"Nothing." He said sternly. Catching his tone, he cleared his throat and tried again. "There's been some serious business in America with the law firm that I need to take care of." _

_"What happened?" She asked, following him into his room. Will sighed and looked back at her, trying to find the words to describe some fairy tale problem. She seemed to get the message because she shrugged and said in a dismissive way, "It doesn't matter what happened. It's all sudden, Lizzie taking off, you leaving too… wait… does it have anything to do with her?" Georgie suddenly grinned. _

_"I thought it didn't matter." He retorted, distracted._

_"Go get her, tiger." _

Will ran his hands through his hair, agitated. The look of excitement on her face was so tangible; he didn't want to break it to her that he wasn't going to capture Elizabeth's heart.

_"Calm down mate, I didn't do anything!" He was struggling against Will's iron grip, but Jack had never been one for strength. Will shook him, letting his head smack against the wall a couple of times before forcing the man to look at him. _

_"The bloody hell you did." He snarled, digging his fingers deeper into Jack's skin. "If she's damaged by this…" _

_"Sir, will you let him go?!" A doctor was tugging on his arm, but he could barely register that he was there._

_"What could you do, Willie?" Jack smiled a feral smile, his eyes dilated but his words steady. "You can't do anything. I'd be surprised if-" _

_He was silenced by a fist slamming into his jaw. _

The memory was shattered by Will slamming his fist into the airplane's mirror.

* * *

Lizzie walked into the door of her parent's home in Brooklyn, dead tired. She almost didn't register the silent house or the empty front room. Setting her luggage down, she stared around the gloomy home, and tears pricked her eyes.

The plane ride had been, simply put, awful. She hadn't slept a wink at all, and when she had begun to doze, she couldn't help but see the anger on Will's face, and then the hopelessness. She hated seeing him so upset, and that was the last thing she had seen. If it wasn't Will's face, it was Jack's, his arrogant stare sending her stomach into knots. How was her father's business going to keep clients if they found out that his daughter ran off with older men, and broke laws for fun?

"Jane?" She called out, walking up the stairs silently to her old room. As she was opening the door, she heard a soft wailing sound down the hall. Walking into her parent's room, she saw Jane sitting on her parent's bed, comforting the shaking form of her mother.

"OH LIZZIE!" Mrs. Bennett wailed, jumping from her bed and crossing the room to envelope her second eldest daughter in a hug. Elizabeth froze, staring at Jane with a face resembling something like shock. Jane looked tired, but managed to smile at Lizzie with a calm face.

"You're ok mom." Lizzie patted her back awkwardly, feeling like she had walked into another family's house. Since when had her mother hugged her without being forced to?

"I'm so sorry Lizzie! Why would Lydia do such an awful thing?" Mrs. Bennett cried, releasing her tears onto Lizzie's shoulder. "She's always been such a good girl, why run off? I knew she shouldn't have gone partying with Kitty, the irresponsible girl just up and left her! And now your father's business is ruined!"

"Mother… most of our reputations are ruined…" Mary leaned in the doorway, her bored stare informing everyone of her total lack of care in the situation.

"Mother… it will be ok. We'll find a way to get a good defendant for her. We'll make sure she gets off innocent." Lizzie said soothingly, not believing a word she was saying. But her mother took solace in the reassurance, and she fell back onto the bed in a heap of depression.

"How's dad?" Lizzie asked Jane with worried eyes. Jane merely shrugged and whispered that he hadn't left his study since he had found out. Lizzie stood up and instantly walked back down the stairs and into her father's domain.

"Leave me." Came a stern voice from the sofa on the far end of the library. Lizzie raised an eyebrow and said levelly, "Well that's a fun way to greet your daughter you haven't seen in God knows when."

"Lizzie?" Edward Bennett stood up slowly, his eyes glassy. Crossing the room, Lizzie threw her arms around him and smiled through her tears.

"Dad, I've missed you so much!" She cried, her voice breaking. He returned the embrace fiercely, tears pricking his eyes.

"How bad is it?" She asked as she sat down on the couch with him, her hands clasped in his. Mr. Bennett sighed, lowering his balding head.

"They have witnesses. They have enough substantial evidence that she'll be stuck in juvenile hall for a good while. I refused to pay for bail, and I've forbidden your mother from going to the court on her court date because you know how she'll react. She was caught in the car with that scum-bag Lizzie… but they'll be trialed on different days and with different cases." He looked up at her with eyes that said he had lost hope, and it tore Lizzie up to see him so defeated.

"We'll think of something dad… we have to." She whispered, trying to be brave.

* * *

"Lizzie… come to see me off to prison?" Lydia smiled mockingly, still able to make even the baggy orange jumpsuit she had to wear look sluttish. She was grinning like she was fine, but Lizzie could see that her eyes were darker, as if she had finally seen something she couldn't handle. She would never admit it though. She was jeering, but she was scared.

"I came for support, silly." Lizzie smiled, but she knew Lydia could see through it. Lydia looked around to see that Lizzie was one of the only people in the court room on her side. There was a reporter, come to give the news of the wealthy family's problem, a few random spectators, and the beginning's of a jury walking into the back. The bailiff watched them with hooded eyes close by.

"Where's the rest of the Bennett's?" Lydia asked coolly, her disappointment evident.

"Dad… well you know dad. Mom… well, you know her too. Mary… well, you know her too… Jane didn't want to make you feel worse, and Kitty…-"

"I know why Kitty isn't here." Lydia said miserably, falling into her seat. She glanced up again, a smirk on her face. "It's not like she had the guts to do what I did!" She crowed brightly.

"Lydia… don't you feel bad?" Lizzie asked sharply, anger tinting her voice.

"Not really… I mean, I thought I'd bring in a bigger crowd than this, but you're good enough I suppose." Lydia smirked at the red tinge her sister's cheeks turned.

"Lydia… you-"

"All rise and give your attention. The honorable Judge Martin is entering the court room." The bailiff smirked when Lydia paled and turned her attention to the judge walking in. Lizzie turned her attention to the people on the prosecuting side, her worry rising. Where was the defense attorney? Lydia was standing at her bench, all alone.

"You may be seated. The case of state versus Bennett is now in session." The judge seated herself and nodded approvingly as the jury walked in, their blank faces slightly daunting.

"Mister… Lawrence and Miss Trent, am I correct?" The judge looked down at the prosecution attorneys, their smug faces alight with excitement.

"Yes, your honor." Mr. Lawrence stood and smiled an easy smile. He had smooth, combed over blond hair that was in perfect place. His green eyes glittered brightly, and he dressed to kill. He was very attractive, Lizzie had to admit. He stood tall and slender, and his smile was bright and engaging. His partner stood up, her pinstripe skirt and jacket ensemble making her taller and just as professional. Her straight brown hair was pulled into a bun, no hairs out of place. Her dark eyes seemed flat and bored.

"Your honor… the defendant does not have an attorney. We can not start the trial without one." She smiled a vicious smile, looking at her beaming partner with a smirk.

"I am well aware of that. Miss Bennett? Where is your attorney?" The judge looked down at her skeptically. Lizzie's worries rose in the back of her throat.

"I don't know!" Lydia snapped, and Lizzie slumped into her seat in dismay. Leave it to Lydia to make the people who held her future in their hands angry.

"Did you have one before?" The judge asked in an edgier voice.

"Yes." She looked behind at Lizzie, whose glare put her in her place… a little. "… your honor."

"Well, we can't have a court session without a defense attorney." Mr. Lawrence's voice carried through the courtroom with obnoxious, ringing tones.

"That is enough, Mr. Lawrence." The judge seemed amused by his statement though.

"Miss Bennett, we can not have a trial unless you have an attorney. I will reschedule the trial to take place-"

BAM! The doors flew open, and the entire room was silenced. Lizzie saw Mr. Lawrence's face pale, and Miss Trent's face tightened in anger.

"I'm terribly sorry, your honor, may we begin?" A familiar soft, businesslike British accent carried smoothly across the courtroom.

* * *

**HAH! Another cliffy… silly me. Why do I keep doing that?**

**Give me thirty reviews and I'll make sure the next chapter is good and long!**


	29. Courtroom Blues Part 1

**:) Thanks so much for your reviews!! Haha, sorry it's taken so long. Being a summer intern can get pretty hectic… when it's your last week of work there they suddenly want you to do every little thing. Oo they panic very easily…**

** Yes, it was terribly cruel to do that to you guys. Which is why typing this chapter was so much fun!!**

**But first, I want to respond to some reviews I got!!**

**Leahm67****- Thank you! I looked up a few different types of courtroom procedures, simply because I wanted it to be professional. Since Darcy is an awesome lawyer, I really wanted to show how some court rooms function. **

**TwilightStarLaughter****- You see, I wanted to show kind of how New York was. My friend just moved from New York when I was writing that part of the story, so I had a lot of questions about how things were. She said it was something that was brushed off easily, since drugs and such were more common where she grew up in Brooklyn. Darcy was made into a kind of hopeless case, and I know I did start to juggle their relationship a bit too much with the whole back and forth thing, but I did want to show how sad it kind of was. I love the twins!! Thinking them up was something I had a lot of fun doing. They will be back in the story. One more thing, I couldn't leave Charlotte with him. I just couldn't!!**

**LJane****- Though Lydia is a slut… he had to be there to help in any way he could. Whether she gets off or not… well, you'll just have to read!!**

**Nutter!****- Thank you! I always think I ramble too much in my stories though, but thanks!!**

**K8bob8****- Oo I'm coming!!**

**XLas****- Yes, Blaise and Charlotte. I couldn't leave her with the toad. Whether they get serious or not… you'll just have to see!**

**Cloudy Glass****- Thanks! I wanted to show how Will had his temper. It just brought me back to when he told Elizabeth about how he couldn't vouch for his temper, and I was like… he would do that.**

**So, I guess I've put this off long enough for you guys :)**

**Here you go kiddies!  
**

* * *

"Mr. Darcy, why are you late?" Judge Martin looked down severely at him, her shrewd eyes making even Lydia slightly nervous. The tall man was undaunted though, and he merely raised an eyebrow.

"I became aware of the case this morning, and the original attorney is in the hospital. Therefore, I am here in his place so that the defense had a standing chance." His cool British accent seemed to dominate the entire room and fill every crevice. Lizzie was shocked to see how his demeanor had changed since Pemberly. In his home, he was relaxed, playful, and kind. The harsh lines in his face seemed unnatural to her since she had seen such an easy smile grace his lips. The calculating gaze seemed alien, and it vaguely reminded her of New York.

Lydia stared in shock at the man standing next to her. The stuck up hot guy was defending her? _Oh, this is going to be delicious,_ she thought smugly but worriedly.

"Do you have a written document stating this?" The Judge asked in a slightly offhand manner. She seemed affected by his presence as well.

"Yes, your honor." The document was passed from Will's hand to the bailiff's, who in turn handed it to the curious lady. The Jury sat awkwardly on the bench, looking at each other with faces varying from amusement to boredom.

"Your honor!" Miss Trent's face had an interesting shade of pink adorning her angry features. "He came late, and disrupted a court case! I demand that we set another date due to lack of preparation on the defense's behalf." Mr. Lawrence's face broke into a grin at his partner's declaration.

"The prosecution demands it? I believe this is my court, Miss Trent." Judge Martin finally graced the other part of the room with her glare. Lizzie glanced to see Will smirking.

"Your honor, with your permission, may we start this court session?" Mr. Lawrence and Miss Trent had both turned to look at Will as they glared accordingly. Lizzie could tell that Trent was more embarrassed than angry though.

"Yes, we will. Bailiff?" Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief.

"The case of the state versus Bennett is now in session." The bailiff repeated, looking slightly pleased with himself.

"May it please the court, I am Mr. Lawrence, and my co- prosecutor is Miss Trent. We represent the state in this case of irresponsible and unlawful behavior." At this, Mr. Lawrence then walked around the small table that had separated him from the rest of the room. Lizzie realized this was a tactic to become more personable with the rest of the room. With a slight nod from the judge, he continued.

"There are two issues that we have to bring to this court room today. The first is the auto-theft of a Lotus Elise, which will be argued by me. The second issue for the court is the more serious situation of statutory rape with Mr. Jack Wickam. This will be argued by Miss Trent. With the court's permission, of course, we wish to proceed with the introductory remarks." Lizzie's jaw dropped, and she stared at Lydia's back. Lydia was fidgeting slightly in her chair, and she turned around to look at her sister with emotions from annoyance to surprise. Lizzie knew her mouth was hanging open, but she didn't care. Lydia had had sex with Jack?!

Looking at Will, Lizzie was surprised to see that his face was smooth of all emotions. He didn't seem surprised at the accusations Mr. Lawrence had thrown, but Lizzie could see his fist curled in his lap as he watched impassively.

"Now, with all of these comings and goings, I have to ask myself where the United States of America went wrong. We have a superb government, we establish laws, we give to the people, we-"

"Your honor, I object. The prosecution is speaking of things not even pertaining to the present situation. Is there a point to these seemingly needless ramblings?" Will asked coolly, raising an eyebrow. He looked over at the obvious charmer who stood in the center of the room, a look of anger on his face.

"Sustained, is there a point, Mr. Lawrence?" Judge Martin asked.

"I was merely using these things to point out that with all of these freedoms and rights our people have been given, why a young woman would deem it necessary to run away from a home of loving parents, steal a very expensive Lotus Elise-"

"Objection, your honor, does the fact that the car was expensive have anything to do with the case?" Darcy seemed to be lounging in his chair, his eyes dark with mirth. Lizzie saw that his tactic was to make the man seem senseless for his details. She smiled at how collected he seemed.

"Sustained. Please continue Mr. Lawrence."

"… and try to run to Mexico with an adult who she hardly knew, and participated willingly in sexual activity. Keep in mind, ladies and gentlemen of the court, that she is a minor."

The man smiled brightly at the jury before turning to pick up a few pieces of paper from the table. He winked dazzlingly at his co-worker before turning back around. Walking over to a white board, he began tacking up the pieces of paper. On each one, there was writing. Lizzie had to lean in to read it.

**A man pirates a movie jail.**

**A woman steals from a bank jail.**

**A woman is caught as a prostitute jail. **

**A man runs the black market jail. **

"Ladies and gentlemen, these phrases are equivalent to one thing, justice." With a raised eyebrow, he slapped another paper onto the board.

**A minor steals a car community service?**

**A minor has sex with an adult only the adult goes to jail?**

"Ladies and gentlemen… what are these two statements equivalent to?" He slapped one more piece of paper and read off of it for emphasis.

"**Lack of justice."**

With a smirk, he sat down. His partner grinned as well. Both looked over at Darcy to see him grinning too. Confusion colored Mr. Lawrence's face, but he cleared his throat and looked back at the judge. The jury was whispering, but as Will stood up, brushing imaginary lint off of his suit coat, their talking came to a complete stop.

"May it please the court; I am the defense attorney, Mr. Darcy." He turned to the jury and looked right at them, catching each and every one of their looks with his gaze alone.

"I am representing miss Lydia Bennett in this case of over exaggeration and misunderstood communication. There are two points in the case, as Mr. Lawrence previously mentioned, but there is a fault in the logic he presents to the court this day."

"Objection, he is clearly insulting the prosecution to look better in the eyes of the jury! He is trying to make the prosecution look like a pair of fools!" Mr. Lawrence sprang from his seat, his eyes wide with anger. Will raised an eyebrow calmly, and simply replied, "I wasn't aware that it was me doing that job."

"Overruled, sit down Mr. Trent. Mr. Darcy, please move on."

"What the prosecution fails to realize is that when an action is made, there was a thought that caused it. The thought can be based on the actual subject's morals, or on the manipulation of another's words or actions." Will turned to look at Lydia, and Lizzie saw the barely concealed disgust for the girl. His eyes then fell on Lizzie's face, and he smiled briefly.

"Every single thing a person says or does have an effect on you. It can be for the good, or it can be for the bad. Some minds are easily twisted into something they would normally never consider to do… some take time. It is my hope for the court today to see the result in an open mind to the manipulation caused by a cruel and heartless man." Will turned around and walked over to Elizabeth. The bailiff took a few steps, but the judge shook her head and raised an eyebrow. Will bowed deeply, and reached into his pocket. Pulling out a very pretty flower, he presented it to her with an engaging smile that promised something more than laughs. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, but her heart pounded in her throat. With a slightly shaky breath, she took the flower, and smelled it. Will smiled even brighter, and cupped her cheek. Lizzie couldn't help wondering what he was up to, but went along with it. The entire court watched avidly, save two.

"Your honor, I object! This man is trying to woo the court into listening to his side!"

"As if you have never done such a thing. I am merely showing an example in my opening statement. I believe you did such a thing not two minutes ago." Will said, standing up smoothly, fixing Miss Trent with a cold look. The judge cleared her throat uncomfortably, and said softly, "Sustained. Mr. Darcy, what did you mean by this?"

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I believe you saw the reaction of this lady at me merely smiling, giving her a flower, and a casual touch. You can not help but wonder the types of things the Mr. Wickam did to force this young lady. I assure you, he would not stop at such a simple means as a flower and a smile." Will fixed a look of confidence on the jury before he sat down in his chair with the same smile of victory on his face.

"Would the prosecution please begin the examination?" The Judge had an unreadable look on her face as she assessed Elizabeth's reaction. Lizzie took a deep breath, and looked at Will's back. He seemed totally in control; he was almost at perfect ease. It was like he knew the outcome already, and was simply waiting for everyone else to get the picture. He had total confidence and he was in control of what was happening.

"Your honor, I would like to call Miss Lydia Bennett to the stand." Mr. Lawrence was gaining control of himself now, and his easy smile was back in place. Lydia stood up and sauntered over to the bench, her glowering stare fixed on Mr. Lawrence. He grinned wider, more like a feral snarl now, and after she stated to tell the whole truth with her hand on The Bible, he began.

"You met Mr. Jack Wickam where?" He asked kindly.

"In a club." Her statement was short and her tone rude.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"You just turned sixteen, correct?"

"…Yea."

"When you met him in the club, how old were you?"

"…fifteen."

"I see… were fifteen year olds allowed into the club?"

"…no."

"So you went in there, knowing you weren't allowed."

"…yes."

"Were others your age there?"

"Your honor, his point has been made. He is now antagonizing the defendant."

"Move on, Mr. Lawrence."

"… Why did you go into the club, knowing you weren't allowed?" Mr. Lawrence's face was clouded with annoyance.

"It was fun."

"Only fun?"

"That's what I said, yeah." Lydia was practically shooting daggers at Mr. Lawrence now.

"So after you met him, what happened?"

"We hung out. We left the club and played video games at his house."

"You only played video games?"

"That's what I said, yeah."

"When did you steal the car and attempt to leave to Mexico?"

"Three days later."

"Why did you steal the car?"

"He said it was the only way for us to be together." Lydia's eyes shined slightly with tears when she said this, but she blinked them away before anyone but Lizzie and Will noticed.

"Did you believe him?"

"Yes."

"Were you the one to actually steal the car?"

"… Yeah."

"And he was waiting where?"

"What?"

"Where was he when you were finally able to hot wire the car and drive off with it?"

"I didn't hotwire it." Lydia raised an eyebrow in question at him.

"… You didn't?"

"That's what I said! Quit repeating everything as if you didn't get it the first time! I didn't have to hot wire anything!" Lydia was steaming as she glared at him, and she glared at the judge when the judge banged her gavel and snapped, "Calm yourself Miss Bennett."

"… then how did you steal the car, Miss Bennett?"

"Jack gave me the key, and I went and put it in the ignition."

"How did Mr. Wickam get the key?"

"Um… how should I know?"

"Well Miss Bennett, how do you think he got the key?"

"Uh, he took it."

"How?"

"Why don't you ask him, ok? I don't know." Lydia's eyes were murderous as she leaned forward slightly. "Maybe you're interrogating the wrong person. I put the key in the ignition, and I drove it to where he was waiting. Nothing complicated, nothing weird. Ask him how he got the key." With a snort, she leaned back into her chair. "If you have enough brains to, that is."

"Miss Bennett! You will speak with respect!" The judge snapped angrily. Will's gaze narrowed slightly as he took in the escalating situation.

"Your honor, it's quite alright." Glancing down, Mr. Lawrence found his spot on his notes. "Do you usually speak like this to people?"

"Your honor, is this relevant to ask?" Will raised an eyebrow. "It seems that he is once again antagonizing the defendant."

"Mr. Lawrence, does this have a point?" The judge was glancing about the room, seeming detached from the case.

"I'm making a point, your honor."

"Get on with it then."

"When they need it, yeah."

"When they need it?"

"Yeah… like now."

"So you could say that not a lot of people find you agreeable?"

"If you mean they think I'm a bitch, I don't know. You'd have to ask them." Lydia glanced over at Lizzie and her eyes brightened with mirth. "My wonderful sisters probably think so. Why don't you ask one of them?"

"So when this one guy was nice to you, you wanted to do what he told you, right?"

"Um, every guy is nice to me."

"Please answer the question."

"No."

"No you didn't want to do it, or no, you won't answer?"

"No, I didn't do anything because people were nice to me. I never do anything just because."

"So was there a reason why you stole the car?"

"…yeah."

"What was that reason?"

"… He said that was the only way we could be together. I've told you that already, why do I have to keep repeating myself?" Lydia stood up angrily and turned to look at the judge. "Look, if he's going to repeat himself over and over, I'm done. If he's dumb, he doesn't need to put everyone else through the misery. Can I go now?" Lizzie buried her head in her hands and wanted to admit defeat. Her sister never knew when to shut up.

Mr. Lawrence smirked when he saw the looks of disgust on the jury's faces. "No further questions, your honor. The defense can now cross examine the defendant" With a shrug, he walked past Will and muttered, "Eat that, chump". Will didn't cause an uproar; he merely grinned and stood up, brushing more imaginary lint from his suit.

"Miss Bennett… how are you today?" Will smiled a bright and engaging smile that made Lydia's jaw drop. She had only known Will to be a hot headed jerk.

"Well, I'm in court. How do you think I am?" She asked snidely, half smiling when she saw the look of horror on Lizzie's face.

"I'd say you seem stressed out. Would I be correct?"

"Yeah."

"Can you let go of that stress to answer a couple of things for me?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Of course you do. Just say the words and I'll dismiss the witness."

"… Shoot the loop, ask away, Darcy." Lydia grinned, but was surprised when Will matched that grin.

"You met Mr. Wickam at a club, and you say you left. Did you spend time together after you played video games that night?"

"Yeah, we went to lunch the next day, and then the day after we went to the movies. He called every night too."

"What kind of things did he say to you?"

"He liked what he saw."

"That's all?"

"Uh, no. But, it's a little personal."

"Can you share a general idea of it?"

"He said he wanted to run away with me. People didn't like that we were interested in each other."

"And you believed him." It was said in a dull tone, and Lizzie saw that as he turned his head, his eyes were sad. She felt so bad at that moment for him she wanted to cross the room and hug him, but somehow she stayed seated where she was. His confidence and ease with Lizzie's sister was so strange and different than his usual appearance it was slightly daunting.

"Of course I did. He… he was nice." Lydia looked around the room, suddenly seeming small and vulnerable.

"When he gave you the keys to get the car, did he say anything?"

"Yeah."

"Can you share with the court what he said to you?"

"Not exactly. It was something like proving how much I cared."

"After taking the car, where did you two go?"

"To an ok hotel. We stayed there."

"What happened at that hotel, Miss Lydia?"

"… Do I have to say?"

"You are sworn to tell the truth. But if you want to stop, we will. We just need everyone to understand what really happened." Will leaned in to look her in the eyes. "Will you tell me what happened?"

Lizzie couldn't believe how close Will was to getting Lydia to talk. No one had ever seemed so concerned and worried about her. His skills were amazing. She could see the sudden desire in Lydia's eyes to tell what really happened.

"… Look… it wasn't like they said. It wasn't like anyone said. I thought I wanted to. I did … but then…" She hiccupped slightly, and, wiping away a tear, she continued. "He… wouldn't stop. He said he loved me, ok? He said it would be better… that when we got to Mexico, we wouldn't have to worry about anything." Will pulled out a silk handkerchief, and handed to a now teary eyed Lydia. She looked at Lizzie across the room, her lip trembling, and she began to cry. Lizzie felt tears come to her eyes as she looked at her sister up on the chair, and she felt like someone had sucker punched her. There was no hot anger at Jack; there was only a hollow cold feeling in her gut.

"Are you saying that Mr. Jack Wickam raped you?" Will asked, his voice strange.

_"Sir, get off of him!" There were three doctors now, and someone was trying to pry Jack away from him. Will held on, his fury mounting. _

_"We'll get the cops!" Someone shouted, tugging on his arms, prying at his fingers." _

_"You sodden prick!" Jack was yelling through a bloody nose, his eyes narrowed in both anger and pain. "Touch me again and I'll-"_

_"You touch her again you'll never feel a thing again." Will growled angrily, his voice barely heard past the yells. _

_"_ _Well how are you going to fix this?" Jack was practically drowning in his blood as he spat past the mess to talk. "You can't hand out cash to fix it. You can't pay for this to disappear. She's probably too scared to talk, mate! You're shagged senseless and you don't even know it!" _

"I… I guess." Will was leaning back, his posture rigid as he stare at her with sad eyes.

"Please answer with a yes or a no, Miss Lydia. Did Mr. Wickam rape you?" Will was having a battle of stares with her, his eyes pleading for the truth. Lydia was positively shrinking away from him in her chair.

"…Y-yeah." She whimpered, eyes wide with pain. Will didn't give any indication of surprise, but he merely looked at the jury with a raised eyebrow before he said softly, "No further questions, your honor." The jury was whispering again, their voices muffled, their faces ranging now from shock to pity.

"Will the prosecution call their next witness?" The judge watched impassively as Lydia walked back to her seat shakily. As she sat down, Will leaned down and whispered something in her ear. Lydia nodded slowly, and then turned to look at Elizabeth. Lizzie's eyes were wide, and she stared at Lydia with something akin to fear. Will glanced back and saw her ashen face. With a look of worry and pity, he gave an encouraging smile before turning back around, his face blank again.

"Your honor, we would like to call Mr. Jack Wickam to the stand."

* * *

**Ok guys, I'm sorry. I didn't want to do it, but you guys gave me thirty reviews so fast I didn't have time to make it long!!**

**So I'm separating the trial into parts so I can get them out faster. **

**Also, I've tried to make it more of a formal scene, but I wanted to show the different ways Will acts in the court room. **

**I hope I made him seem better than the other guys!!**

**The only way to know, dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn…**

**Review!!**

**:) **


	30. Courtroom Blues Part 2

**Hi guys, it's me again!!**

**Thank you so much for your quick reviews!! Especially the feed back about how he seemed with the whole law thing. I really had to read up on it to get it just the way I needed (I couldn't wing it since he was supposed to be a classy professional lawyer) so thanks!! I must admit, the dialog has gotten a little choppy lately, I've been typing this stuff way past my normal sleep hour, so I'm going to fix that problem right now!**

**I hope I've portrayed this scene between Jack and Will in such a way you guys love it!!**

**Tally ho, on with the show.**

… **yeah…**

* * *

He was dressed in an orange jump suit, a number printed on his back. His eyes were still the gorgeous shining color, but they seemed to lack something. His hair was clean, but it was evident that jail wasn't his cup of tea. He sported a black eye and a split lip. As he sat down, Lizzie tried to see another expression on his face besides arrogance, but there was nothing.

_"I'll have you locked away for this." Will hissed, spitting out the last words like venom. _

_"I know things about your family that would have the press groping for more, Willy. What, trade a secret for a secret?" Jack's head lolled on his neck as he tried to gain focus, but it wasn't working out so well. _

_"There's nothing for me to hide." Will grabbed the back of his captive's neck and forced Jack to look at him. "If you see the light of day when I'm through with you, it will be from the grace of God himself." _

_"No Willy, if I see the light of day, it will be because of you." _

"Mr. Wickam, where did you meet Miss Lydia Bennett?" Miss Trent now took the turn for questioning, her severe stare hard to lie under.

"In a club. She was dancing, I was watching. Good to watch too." His voice was hoarse, but he still spoke in that slick, smooth way that most girls swooned for. He simply seemed the tortured victim.

_"Will, I'm allowed one call." His voice was like oil, and Will was almost sure that if he turned around, he would see that monster in the hospital room, watching him with his sister. _

_"What do you want? Have you called to beg for so I don't press charges against you?" Will turned and left the room where his sister slept, wary of waking her. _

_"Not a bloody chance mate. I called to let you know why you're not going to press charges." _

_"And why is that exactly?"_

"And when you met her, what were her words to you?"

"She wanted to show me what a real woman was." Jack looked back and saw Lizzie glowering at him. With a smirk, he winked at her, licking his lips suggestively. Will clenched his fists together in his lap as he watched impassively, his eyes the only thing giving away his true feelings. Lizzie watched his rigid back with worry, knowing how close he was to snapping. Sub consciously; she twirled the flower in her hands, needing something to grip for support.

"When you went back to your apartment, what exactly went on?" Lizzie held her breath.

"The poor sod wouldn't do much past video games. I could hardly get a feel up of her." Lydia's eyes were murderous as she stared at the man on the stand, her face like stone.

"Why did you persuade her to steal the car?"

"It was her idea. I simply came by the means of getting a car. She wanted us to be together, I said why not. The girl was throwing herself at me!"

"So you're saying she was the one who wanted the car stolen?"

"That would be correct."

"In Miss Bennett's testimony, she says you gave her the car keys and she stole it. Is this true?"

"Are you kidding? The car was hot wired! How the bloody hell could I have gotten the keys?" Jack snorted, and Will's face darkened.

_"Sir, we're here for the report of Mr. Wickam's rape of Miss Georgiana Darcy." The officer seemed calm, but Will could spot unease coming off of him in waves. _

_"… There is nothing to report." Will turned away, his eyes burning with shame._

_"What do you mean?" The officer stepped up and grabbed his arm. Will turned back, suddenly angry. _

_"There is nothing… to report. With a sigh, he passed twenty fifty pound notes into the man's hand, and with shoulders slumped, he shook his head. "The doctor redid the analysis. It was nothing to do with what he thought it was." With a brief dismissal, Will closed the large doors behind the man. _

"So Miss Bennett was lying?"

"Of course."

"No further questions. The witness is prepared for the defenses cross examination." Lizzie watched as Will stood up slowly, his confidence blossoming under everyone's gaze. With a strong step, he walked up to Jack, his face serious. As he reached the stand, he stood and watched for a moment, letting a match of stares begin. He seemed to be internally fighting a battle, and as he straightened his jacket, he collected his thought and began the onslaught.

_"Willy! What are you doing here? Come to play a game of cards?" Jack leaned back in his chair at the game lounge and gave a big, welcoming smile. Only his eyes showed the anger within. _

_"Get out." Will growled, grabbing him by the shirt collar and wrenching him off of the chair. The few people sitting nearby watched avidly, knowing the outcome already. Jack could never win against Will. _

_"But the fun's just getting started!" Jack grinned wickedly, but the look on his face turned to pain as Will grabbed him back the scruff of his neck. With anger his adrenaline, Will threw the man out of the lounge and into the street. _

_"Get out." He growled as he shook him, pronouncing each word with a deadly finality. Jack fell down in a heap, moaning. Taking a step over him, Will said in a calm voice, "Don't come back."_

"So you did attempt to have sex with Miss Bennett the first night you met her, even though she is a minor."

"I didn't know her age at the time."

"When did you become aware of her age?"

"The next day."

"So after finding out her age you still persuaded her to run away with you?"

"She was pushing for it, not me."

"A minor was pushing for it, but you caved in and ran away with her, am I correct?"

"She's good at manipulation."

"Did you engage in sexual activities with Miss Bennett?"

"Which one?" There was a stunned silence as Will's back went rigid. Lizzie's face darkened.

"… Miss… Lydia Bennett."

"Oh yeah, she was up for it the moment we got into the hotel."

"At one point, did she tell you to stop?"

"The opposite. She said, 'don't stop.'"

"So the examination stating that force was used is merely a plow?" The Silence that engulfed the room was deafening. Jack's smile flickered slightly, and Lizzie was sure that he would give in. But after a shadow seemed to pass over his face, he was smirking again.

"What examination report?" He asked innocently. Will pulled out a stack of papers, his face grave.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I have with me a report from a doctor stating that there was force in the intercourse between them-"

"So she liked it rough, can you bl-"

"AND… the patient was damaged in such a way that the doctors who inspected her were positive of rape." He handed the papers to the bailiff who in turn passed them to a very grave judge.

"Proceed, Mr. Darcy." Lizzie looked over at the other two lawyers to see their jaws almost hanging wide open.

"Your honor, I object! Before a trial, the defense and the prosecution are to share the evidence each has, it is titled in article 34, section-"

"Your honor, there is a way to negate such rules." Darcy interjected.

"I'm aware of the rules, Miss Trent. Also, it states that this is able to become void when the defense is handled in such a manner that sharing such things becomes impossible. Such as the defense lawyer being briefed this very morning about the case. Your claim is overruled." Miss Trent sat down slowly, her face a bright red.

_"Will, I haven't seen you around. Did you hear about Jack?" Thomas was fishing through his pockets to find his car keys, obviously tipsy. _

_"What about him?" Will felt his blood start to bubble. Thomas turned around sluggishly, surprised at his tone._

_"He… he got some farmer's daughter pregnant, and he got shot by the girl's bloody dad. He's alive, unfortunately." Thomas laughed uproariously, his eyes shining with excitement. Will forced a smile and climbed into his car, breathing slowly. As he pulled away, he allowed misery to engulf him. That man had been able to avenge his family in a way Will never could._

_It's hard to put your own brother behind bars._

"Now, Mr. Wickam, can you identify what this is a picture of?" With a flick of his wrist, Will passed a piece of paper to him, his eyes dancing in victory. As he turned to look back to the audience, he caught Lizzie's gaze and winked. Lizzie smiled nervously in return, and with a grin, Will turned back to Jack.

"It's a picture of the electrical system of an Audi." Jack mumbled angrily, his eyes murderous.

"Are you aware that this is the exact car that you claimed Miss Bennett hot wired?" Lizzie couldn't fight the grin that came to her face as Jack's face crumpled.

"No, I wasn't. Not until you just told me."

"Do you know how she hot wired a car with all of the wiring intact and working properly?" Will couldn't fight the smug tone from his voice. He finally was getting the viper at his own game. Will glanced back to see Lizzie's eyes sparkling with admiration, and his heart contracted weirdly in his chest at the sight of her.

"Not a clue mate." Jack was growling as he glared.

"So you agree, based on the picture, that the only way to start the car was by having a key?"

"… Yeah…"

"Where did she get the key, Mr. Wickam?"

_"This can be easy or hard, Jack." Will held the keys out to the monster in front of him. "Take the keys, the money, and the secret. I'm giving them to you, on the condition that you never come back and bother us again." Will dropped the keys, and Jack snatched them right from the air._

_"Thanks, mate. You'll regret this though." Jack smirked as he began to walk away._

_"I've done my part. Never come back." Will stuffed his hands into his pockets, his eyes darkening in anger._

_"Why does it bother you so much, mate?" Jack sneered, his eyes dancing. "Why does it bother you that we're related?" _

_"… You weren't meant to be part of the Darcy's, Jack." Will was glowering now, trying to hold his temper in. There was an awkward silence as Jack took in the shock of Will's words. _

_"Yes... it wasn't in the whole plan for there to be two male Darcy's was there. I can't help what your bloody father did." _

_"You think I don't know that?" _

"… Me." Will leaned back, looking at the jury with a knowing glance. He couldn't help but feel shocked that Jack had confessed, but he could almost feel the relief springing from Lizzie.

"How did you acquire the keys to the Audi?" He held his breath, hoping for the best, expecting the worst.

"I nicked them from the valet parking." Jack looked up at Will, his eyes scorching hot with anger. Will hated looking into those eyes. Too many memories swirled through his mind, namely the ones of his sister.

"No further questions, your honor." Will gave a cool, dismissive look to Jack before turning around and walking back to his seat, his stiff demeanor telling those who knew him just how agitated he really was.

"There will be a thirty minute recess, where the court will return at the time of 12:30 precisely." Judge Martin stood up, suddenly looking serious with the case instead of merely amused and impatient.

"All rise for the honorable Judge Martin." The bailiff seemed pleased by how everyone was quiet. "This court is now in recess."

"Miss Bennett, you'll come with me." The bailiff took a hold of Lydia's elbow and steered her into another room. She shot a smirk at her sister before she disappeared into the holding room. Lizzie looked back to see Will stacking a few papers slowly, as if taking his time on purpose. With hesitant steps, she walked foreword, opening the gate that separated the public from the actual court. Will was muttering softly under his breath as he organized the stack.

_"Wickam!" Jack turned back with a knowing smirk on his face. _

_"Yes, Willy?" His eyes gleamed like jewels as he assessed the man before him. _

_"Why her?" There was another silence. God how Will hated silences. _

_"… Look at you, Willy. You're a wreck. You shouldn't let the enemy see you like that."_

_"You did this to get back at me? Why? I've been nothing but a brother to you." He just barely managed to hold back the anguish in his voice. Jack chuckled._

_"Yes, a brother. A brother who never acknowledged his own blood."_

_"You're not a Darcy, Jack." Jack strode back, his anger steaming off of him. Will braced himself, ready for anything. _

_"The bloody hell I'm not. I was adopted as a Darcy, until your fool of a father heard what the press had to say. Who'd he throw me to, to hide the shame? His bloody tenant, Mr. Wickam. I don't even know who I really am, Will. How would everyone love to hear the tale of the so called great Mr. Darcy? He threw away an orphan because it didn't look good for him! Bloody hell, Will, we're the same. Willing to do what it takes to get what we want. You want the shame gone? By the God's will, I'm gone. But I'll be back, big brother. You'll wish you never ruined me." Jack threw a punch, but Will quickly dodged it, sending Jack sprawling onto the ground. _

_"We're nothing alike." He spat, turning around and stalking off. _

"Will?" There was a moment of hesitance on his part as he slowly turned around to look at her. Will still couldn't believe how pretty she was as she gazed at him, her eyes wide and innocent, but their depth and intelligence pulling him in and rendering him helpless. He let a smile grace his lips, still in his lawyer mode.

"Yes, Elizabeth?" His voice was soft, clipped, and professional sounding. Lizzie gave a smile, and it grew larger when he returned it. She hoped that he would be able to switch back to the kind and smiling man she had come to know. She had to admit, she liked the nicer Will better. Who wouldn't?

"I… I don't care if this is awkward for you to hear… I just want to say that I'm so thankful for this. Everything that you're doing is so… I-"

"Elizabeth." Will was smiling gently.

"I know that if my family were here, they'd-"

"Elizabeth…" Will took a step foreword. Lizzie didn't seem to notice though, and she began moving her hands about as she tried to describe how thankful she was.

"… Be so grateful for you too. You're so-"

"Elizabeth!" Will grabbed her hands and held them to his chest as he pulled her close to him. It was then that she went quiet.

"You're too wonderful." He murmured softly in her ear. Lizzie couldn't fight the smile that came over her face. Her heart thudded in her chest and she was sure he could hear it, but he just stared into her eyes.

"I'm just… thanks. Thank you, so much. I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you." Lizzie wanted him to hold her, just so she could stop the fluttery feeling in her gut. There was only a slim chance that he could want her after this, she concluded as she looked at his serious face, the frown suddenly back in place.

"You don't have to repay me. This… this is good enough." He placed her hands over his heart, and he blushed. The great Will Darcy blushed. Lizzie could feel his heart beating a little too fast, the pulse a little too erratic to be normal. Any doubt that she had vanished instantly.

"I know that though Lydia acts like she's in control, I know she's grateful. I know she feels horrible, and really appreciates this. If anyone else knew about this, they'd be falling over themselves trying to tell you how much they're indebted to you." Lizzie took a deep breath, steadying her nerves.

"I don't need their appreciation Elizabeth. Surely you know that this was all for you. Don't you understand that?" he cupped her face and stroked her cheek slowly, marveling at the smooth texture of her skin. She was so perfect to him.

"I- no. No, I really don't." She laughed softly. Will would have run a hand through his hair if they weren't better occupied. But he found he liked being this close to her much better than tugging his hair out in frustration.

"And don't thank me. I haven't even won this case yet. It's still on shaky ground." Will decided to take the subject into safer waters. At least he understood what he was getting into when he talked about the law.

"Are you kidding me? Will, you have them scrambling for cover. You've gotten her off for basically everything." Lizzie gushed, her eyes shining. She still couldn't get her head around the fact that her sister had been used in such a cruel way, and she was sure she never would. Lydia didn't seem the type to be used; she was the one who used people. Pity almost overwhelmed Lizzie, and she shook her head in agitation.

"Not everything though. She still ran away with him. But don't worry, I have that covered. You don't need to fret about anything, ok? I've got it under control." And the look on his face let her know that he really did have it under control.

She felt a little bit better, knowing he was there.

* * *

**Ok, so this wasn't my best chapter. **

**And to clear things up (I kind of confused myself typing it) **

**Will's dad had adopted a boy (Jack) and he became Jack Darcy. But, the publicity was horrible with it (consider it worse than Madonna with her little boy) so he gave the boy to a tenant on his land (Mr. Wickam) who was a widower. So… they're kind of brothers… in a way. **

**Yeah… I decided to add that twist to things. **

**But, they're not blood brothers or anything, so it wasn't incest with Georgiana. Yeah…**

**If that was too much, just let me know. I just wanted a little shock factor there. **

**Thirty reviews!!**

**:P I luv you guys!!**


	31. Courtroom Blues Part 3

**Thanks for the quick responses!! Yeah, I totally get how I made that connection a little confusing between Will and Jack. I've been trying to play around with different styles of writing, and different ways of wording things, so I apologize for any confusion!!**

**On another note, my puppy is officially called Bruce Wayne, haha. He also likes being a big butt munch and eating my shoes. My new shoes. He doesn't care about the old converse. Just the new flats. **

…**hoe.**

**Now, let's see where this ends up, huh? Ah, I love writing this. Darcy is my dream boy!!**

* * *

"The defense can now call upon their witnesses." The judge looked down severely at Will before turning her gaze to the prosecution lawyers. Miss Trent looked like someone had force fed her a lemon, but Mr. Lawrence seemed at ease as he sat there, a big and eager grin on his face.

"The defense would like to call Dr. Carr to the stand, your honor." Lydia leaned over and whispered loudly, "Who's Dr. Carr?" Will grinned.

"A doctor."

* * *

"Please state your name."

"I am Dr. Brandon Carr."

"What is your profession, Dr. Carr?"

"I am a psychiatrist, specializing in why people react the way they do, even more specifically teenagers."

"So you'd be able to answer a few questions on the reasons why Miss Bennett ran away with Mr. Wickam?"

"Of course I would."

"Can you explain manipulation to the court?"

"Manipulation is using an art of persuasion in an unfair, overwhelming way that affects the mind in such a way that causes the person to cave in or bend their wishes or emotions based on what the person says. There are many forms of manipulation, most of them verbal, but one can also use their body for manipulation." Dr. Carr smiled confidently at Will before looking steadily at Lydia in her seat. He assessed her openly, taking in the glare on her face, the stubborn jut of her chin as she dared him to look at her. Her eyes held too many emotions at once though to be considered simply rebellious.

"Now, based on what you know about this court session, sir, can you explain how Miss Bennett could have persuaded Mr. Wickam to run away with her?" Will leaned back onto the table and stared with cool confidence at the psychiatrist.

"It's a trick question, sir. She couldn't have." Will raised an eyebrow, as if surprised, but it was obvious it was just an act.

"And why not? Why couldn't Miss Lydia Bennett have been the one to persuade Mr. Wickam to run away with her?"

"Sir, are you insulting me?" Dr. Carr seemed a little peeved.

"Of course not, I just need you to explain to the court why it was impossible for Miss Bennett to be the manipulator."

"Very well… it's simple really. Look at her! The eyes signify the desire to achieve anything she wants, the set of her chin tells you that she's willing to do whatever it takes. Signs of a manipulator with nothing to lose. But, if you look at the shoulders, they slouch a bit too much, and her eyes look shift downward too much to be at ease with manipulation. To manipulate a man such as Mr. Wickam, you have to have complete control when attempting that art of influence." He coughed slightly at the end, and crossed his legs as if to say, 'isn't it obvious?'

"Do you know Mr. Wickam?" Will bit back a smirk. He already knew this answer.

"Of course I do. I was his therapist for several years."

"So you can give input on him as well?"

"Your honor, I object!! The defense could have manipulated the witness into stating false theories and false past with Mr. Wickam! What is his proof that he has done therapy sessions with Mr. Wickam?" Miss Trent was standing up now, her eyes burning in a wild anger. She could feel the case slipping away and she was going to be as horrible about it as possible.

"Here is the proof, your honor." Will passed the papers to the bailiff who in turn passed it to the judge.

"Excuse me young lady! I do not want to believe you just suggested me capable of being manipulated!" Dr. Carr stood up too, his mouth set in anger. "I can see signs of such as easily as you see me standing before you! Do not accuse him of manipulating someone such as me." His sat down again, stating clearly he was finished with his outburst.

"The defense can continue."

"What kind of man in Mr. Wickam?" Will turned slightly and saw Elizabeth smiling slightly, her eyes trained on the scene before her. Will smiled briefly at her before turning back for the response.

"He was a troubled man. He had symptoms of depression, but he had too much aggression to let it show. He loved turning people towards him, and away from each other. This was signs of a troubled child hood.

_"Hi Will!" Jack bounded over to Mr. Darcy and Will, his eyes shining with excitement. Will smiled broadly, but his father's eyes darkened. He turned towards the mansion and looked at the architecture as if he were really interested. _

_"Hey! Dad, can we go to the pond to-"_

_"Absolutely not, son. The paparazzi can see you there. We don't need my two sons being seen together!" He smiled strangely, as if forced, but Will didn't seem to notice. Jack's face fell though. _

_"Am I really your son? My dad says I'm his, but you say that I'm yours."_

_"… It's difficult. But you can't be seen by people right now, ok? They wouldn't like it. They're not nice people, Jack." His face suddenly grave, Mr. Darcy turned away. "You two play in the woods with some other tenants' children for today." _

"He constantly went into stages of silence, refusing to speak. Whenever I probed, he would try to turn the discussion towards me, which I allowed as an outlet. He liked to steal and get away with such acts, and he enjoyed reading about my studies. It is my regret now that I allowed him to know the secrets of such a vile tool." He looked up at Will accusingly, as if he was at fault, and guilt stabbed the lawyer like a knife. Will chose to pretend he didn't see the look.

"Why would he try to persuade Miss Bennett to run away with him?"

"Control of course. Men like Mr. Wickam like to know that they can control people. He wanted to see how he could get her to do things, and he succeeded. It is only minimally her fault that she left with him. The blame lies on the man who did this to her." Dr. Carr stood up. "I believe I'm finished here." Will smiled at the man's arrogance, feelings a memory kin to the therapist's personality.

"The defense rests." Will said softly before turning around and sitting down. Miss Trent began to stand up, but Dr. Carr flicked a wrist in her direction.

"I have nothing to say to this group."

"Dr. Carr, you swore to tell the truth. This also pertains to any person that examines you. Please let the prosecution proceed." The Judge seemed amused.

"Sir, can you explain why Lydia couldn't have said no?" Miss Trent seemed hassled, like she was pulling questions out of no where.

"I already have! Manipulation is like a drug. When the one controlling the situation makes it seem like he might disappear, that means not be there Miss Trent, it causes the victim to reach an emotional level that causes their mind to think that they can't survive without said manipulator." Dr. Carr sniffed lightly and adjusted himself in his chair. Lizzie had to laugh when she saw his obvious impatience, but she hid it as fast as possible.

"So why do you believe Mr. Wickam was the manipulator?"

"Your honor, I object. The defense has already stated such a question with only slightly different wording. The prosecution is merely repeating what the defense has to say." Will stood up, as if he was frazzled by what was done, but Lizzie had the feeling like he was faking.

"What, is the defense worried we might find something else out?" Miss Trent snapped.

"Not at all, but Dr. Carr obviously seems to be annoyed with such advances. I was merely looking for his comfort in this court room." Will looked at Dr. Carr with raised eyebrows, and the psychiatrist nodded curtly.

"Of course I'm annoyed; I believe I've done my part." The Dr. looked up at the judge with narrowed eyes.

"Sustained. Has the defense anything to add that is different from previous questions?" Will smirked in victory. Miss Trent looked back at Mr. Lawrence for help, but he seemed just as clueless as she was. With a sigh, she looked back at the court room and said angrily, "The prosecution rests."

* * *

**So that was short, but I've been pretty busy getting ready for back to school, so I apologize. I'll make sure that the next one is longer, but I didn't want to fall back into a state of laziness where I completely forget to update. Again. **

**So, have fun with that!!**

**R&R!**

**Thanks!**


	32. Sold

**Ok, so thanks for your reviews! I'm very sad that school's starting, :( but I'm going to make sure to still update even though it's starting!! We're starting an eight class schedule thing this year, so this should be fun…**

**This is a really REALLY short chapter (about two pages) but it was done this short for a reason. It's just a really lame reason, so I won't even bother to tell you guys why!!**

**But, without further ado, I give you the verdict to the court!**

* * *

"Does the Jury have their verdict?" The judge seemed impatient, but not as impatient as Lizzie felt. Her mind spun with worry and indecision, and she was sure that if she didn't calm down, she might start hyperventilating. She looked over at the jury, their faces blank but their eyes shining with feelings ranging from anger to pity to excitement.

"We have one, your honor." The more confidant of the group spoke. "And we will address the two as separate counts against her with separate verdicts."

"Proceed then."

"With the count of robbery of the car, the jury finds Ms. Lydia Bennett guilty. With the count of consent to sex with an adult, we find Ms. Lydia Bennett innocent." The man looked up from the paper to look over at Lydia. "However, the punishment for the auto-theft has been lifted. It is instead being changed to forty hours of community service." He smiled softly before settling down in his chair with the rest of the group. Lizzie's heart swelled as she stared at her sister in surprise. Will seemed unsurprised at this verdict, but she could tell by his posture he was pleased. Lydia's sneer seemed to widen, but there was something off by it.

"Very well. This court is dismissed." Judge Martin banged her gavel before rising up and walking smartly out of the room. There was hardly time to rise, and no one could tell if the judge was angry or happy with the verdict. Looking over at the prosecution, their emotion was obvious.

"Well, Mr. Will Darcy, you think that you can come into this courtroom with your fancy clothes and documents as if you have a right. But we can easily dig up how you got this case so fast. We happen to know that Mr. Anders was not checked into a hospital. And you can bet that when we find out, you'll be in a different position in the courts." Mr. Lawrence advanced over to where Will was calmly packing away his papers into a briefcase. Looking up coolly, he smiled calmly. Pulling out a piece of paper, he began writing on it and stopped.

"How much?" He asked simply, staring up at the angry man before him. That seemed to stump Mr. Lawrence into silence for a moment. Lizzie watched with slight worry and apprehension.

"How much what?" The man was suspicious, but his partner knew exactly what he meant.

"One hundred thousand." She stated with a smirk. Will shrugged before looking down again and scribbling a few things. Tearing the paper, he then passed it to the eager hands of Miss Trent. Mr. Lawrence stood, shocked, at what he was seeing. With a smile, Will picked up his briefcase, and walked over to Lizzie. His smile much more natural, and he began to lead her out of the courtroom, a hand at the small of her back. Lizzie was too speechless to object.

"I would have settled for less." Miss Trent stated loudly, her gaze surprised. Will only paused for a second before answering. He turned his head slightly to let her know he heard her.

"I would have sold for more."

* * *

"Lydia, are you ok?" Lizzie enveloped her sister in a hug. Lydia returned it with reluctance, her eyes strange.

"I'm fine Lizzie, why wouldn't I be?" She smirked, but it faltered slightly. Turning to Will, she stuck out a hand. "I suppose I outta thank you. My ass would have been gone if you hadn't helped." Lizzie winced at her sister's choice of words, but Will merely smiled.

"It was no problem, really. Now, let's get you three out of here before the press arrives."

"You really think they'd be here?" Lizzie asked skeptically. She was answered as soon as they walked out of the door. Lights flashed, people were yelling, and microphones were shoved into their faces.

"Mr. Darcy, how do you feel abou-"

"Lydia, how is it-"

"Darcy, over here!"

"Miss Elizabeth, can you-"

"Elizabeth!"

"Lydia!"

"Can you answer-"

"I was wondering-"

The cacophony of noise shocked them, even though Will was used to it. He knew the other two were certainly not. With a smile, he led them through the noise, but as they began to enter their car, he remembered something. Turning back to the press, he wasn't surprised to see Lizzie and Lydia being taken to a different location. He had planned it like that so Lydia and Lizzie could have some alone time. Looking back though, he saw Lizzie seemed confused, and angry. Her blue/ green eyes found his, and they locked. He couldn't look away, even if he wanted to. A desire to be close to her nearly made him groan in frustration, but somehow he held back the pent up emotion. It was almost painful to do so.

Lizzie was trying to fight to crowd to get back to Will. She had so many questions for him, but she knew she hardly knew where to start. But a man was dragging them away, saying Will had arranged a different ride for them. She had no choice but to follow, her eyes trained on Will's face. He seemed slightly bemused, as if he didn't know whether to follow or not, but she knew he wouldn't. Fine, they would talk later then.

They were lead to a limousine, and Lydia squealed with delight as she plunged into the roomy vehicle. Lizzie sat down on the comfortable leather, her gaze thoughtful as she looked around. Glancing back out of the window, she saw the people begin to filter into their cars, as if to follow them. With a wince, she realized some probably would.

"Lizzie?" Lizzie looked over at her sister, and was surprised to see her sister's eyes were glassy and fake looking, as if they had been plucked from a china doll's face.

"Lydia, what's wrong?" She asked, alarmed.

"Lizzie, I'm so sorry."

* * *

**So, that was shorter than promised, I know. But, I had to. I'll update soon, and I hope you don't hate me!**


	33. Catty, Catty Catherine

**Ok, sorry it took so long to do this, I've had so much homework I hardly had time for anything!!**

**So, it's probably thrown together and bad, but here you go!!**

**Oh, for any Batman fans out there; I have a Batman story in the movies column called, Go Ask Alyss. Check it out? **

* * *

"What have I done?" Lydia asked softly, tears pooling around her eyes as she flung herself across the seats and into Lizzie's lap, her shoulders shaking as she cried. Lizzie was in shock as she looked down at her sister, pity and concern gripping her as she hugged the suddenly fragile girl.

"It's ok, it's ok." Lizzie attempted in consoling her sister, but to no avail. She had never been really close to Lydia; both of them had made sure of that, so she wasn't really sure how to go about helping her.

"No, it's not!" Lydia looked up, her face twisted in pain. "I've been so foolish to think that I'd be able to get away with everything! I've been so selfish that it's hurting everyone… even you." Lydia grinned bitterly. "I mean, it's not like I'm a total bitch… I just act like it. I get more attention that way."

"Lydia… it's not the good kind of attention." Lizzie knew her sister had to hear it.

"As I'm finding out." Lydia laughed again, bitterly this time. Lizzie shook her head and let her sister talk about anything, about how she was horrible, about how she had made a mistake. It was hard for Lizzie to keep a still tongue, but she let Lydia ramble, knowing that her point would be made soon enough. As they wheeled into the Bennett driveway, Lizzie looked up to see that her car was already parked in the driveway, surprise, surprise. As Lydia looked up, she was already blinking back tears.

"Lizzie, I want to be like you." Lydia stated, as if in a daze. Lizzie blinked, and out of all of the words of wisdom she could come up with, all she could say was, "what?"

"I've always kind of envied you, a little. You really are pretty, when you want to be, and you've always had good friends. They might not be over the top numerous amounts of them, but they're good and loyal. I want that. I want your confidence without coming off as easy. I want the respect others have for you."

"It's not easy." Lizzie muttered dumbly.

"But you do it so well."

"It looks like it, I guess. But, it's really not. You have to work at it, and really study people, know what they mean when they say things that seem nice."

"That's boring and hard. It comes naturally to you, Lizzie Bennett, whether you realize it or not."

"Lydia," Lizzie began hesitantly, "It really is hard. I've made some pretty dumb mistakes myself-"

"With Will?" Lydia asked, suddenly mischievous. Lizzie nodded, fighting back the blush.

"Yes, about Will. But the thing is… you can't beat yourself up. It's ok to feel bad about it, of course, but you can't let it control you. Let yourself learn from your mistakes, instead of crashing and burning from them. I suppose the Bennett's are famous for getting second chances. So… here's yours, just take it." Lizzie hugged Lydia briefly, and when she looked at her sister, she knew that something had changed. The moment passed though, and as Lydia wiped her eyes and straightened her hair, she looked back and a smug look was suddenly on her face.

"Don't tell anyone about this, ok?" She asked, an eyebrow raised. Lizzie shook her head but nodded, knowing it would take some time before it really hit home. As Lydia scrambled out of the car, she suddenly flung herself back.

"Oh, and Lizzie?" Lydia seemed suddenly sheepish again. "Thanks… for being there for me when no one else would."

* * *

"Charlie?" Will smiled at the sound of his old friend's voice. His smile faded though, when he realized what he'd have to do. He had to come clean. At least for his sake, at most for his friend's.

"Will? Where are you? We've been bloody well curious, I've half a mind to come and get you!" Charlie's bright and happy voice flooded the speaker of his phone, and Will laughed, but it sounded hollow to him.

"I'm in Brooklyn, Charlie." Will muttered softly. There was a stunned silence as Charlie answered, obviously hesitant, "Really? What for?"

"Charlie, I haven't been completely honest with you." Will began.

"Will, you sly old dog, you're in love with Lizzie!" Charlie crowed.

"Jane wasn't after you for your money, Charlie." Will said in a slight rush. The phone went silent for about a minute, and for the first time ever, Will worried that he had made his friend angry.

"What?" Came the half muted voice.

"I made you believe that Jane didn't love you." Will sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He wouldn't be surprised if Charlie never talked to him again.

He had to second that thought when the line went dead.

* * *

The day seemed a blur to Lizzie. Amongst her family's celebration at Lydia's easy sentence, her father's stony silence whenever anyone but Lizzie talked to him, and Jane's hidden despair, Lizzie felt worn out. All she wanted to do was curl up with something warm and sleep it all away.

She wanted Will for Pete's sake!

There was a knocking at the door, and Lizzie jumped up from her chair, excited. She was sure that Will would come over soon enough; he had some explaining to do. Opening the door, she couldn't keep the smile off of her face. When she saw who it was though, the smile didn't just fall, it completely tore right off.

"Lady Catherine…. What a surprise."

* * *

**I know, I know, that was terrible. That was short. Terribly short. But, I've been so bogged down with AP homework and the like that that was all I could come up with. I won't be surprised that you hate on it, actually, I welcome it. Someone talk some sense into me, please! I'll make the next one longer, we're close to the end, ladies and gents!**


	34. First Time For Everything

**Whoa, lots of feedback there guys. Thanks soooo much!! I was so happy when I saw the reviews I've gotten!! You really do rock my world. **

**Well, in return, I've decided to attempt to rock yours. **

… **In a matter of speaking. So, for all of your patience and hard work, here's a longer, more exciting chapter!!**

**Whoo!! **

… **ok, it's the best that I can do. Not like I can go door to door with thank you cards…**

**So, here you go!!**

* * *

"Yes, it is a surprise, isn't it?" Lady Catherine let herself in, much to Elizabeth's annoyance. Her family watched, confused and shocked that the woman was walking into their home without so much as a polite hello, and they announced it to the best of their abilities.

"What the hell's her problem?" Lydia snorted in anger, raising an eyebrow at the very wealthy woman before her. Catherine looked down and sneered at the obvious cheap clothing they sported. Jane buried her head in her hands.

"Lady Catherine… how nice to meet you." Mrs. Bennett smiled as she noticed the rich and expensive air about the woman, and standing up, she reached a hand out to shake it. Catherin took one look at the overly gaudy woman and smiled thinly.

"Your home is cheap… no matter how much you try to hide it with cheap trinkets. I'm here for Elizabeth; I'm not here to socialize." Lady Catherin turned to look at a very angry Lizzie.

"We'll take this outside then… come along." Elizabeth turned around and stomped out, noticing the look of horror on her family's faces. As she reached the sidewalk, she heard the expensive clicking of Catherine's heels, and she turned around to face her.

"You said you had business to conduct with me?" Elizabeth asked coolly. Catherine seemed taken aback that Elizabeth had jumped right to the point, and it angered her that she seemed so ready to fight. Is this what her nephew had fallen in love with?!

"I come here because I've heard that you intend to marry my nephew!" She snapped, her cheeks flaming. "And I want to hear you tell me otherwise. We all know you're not good enough for him." Elizabeth froze, her face turning red as she heard this. Was Catherine really that late in the game? She must not have heard about the situation with him proposing.

"Well… if you think it's impossible, then why are you here?" Elizabeth asked, trying to reel in her emotions. She knew her temper was often over the top.

"To hear it contradicted." Catherine snapped, clutching her hands in front of her tightly.

"You just said it could never happen, why would you then say it could be contradicted?" Was the curt reply. Catherine advanced, her face turning a deeper shade of red with each angry step she took.

"This can never happen! He's engaged to my daughter! What do you say to that one, hm?" She jabbed a finger in Elizabeth's face to make a point.

"You know… that's gross." Elizabeth barked out a tight laugh. "Incest is illegal, or so I'm told." Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth continued. "It's not like you can run his life anyway. He's doing what he wants, you're not his mother."

"That's not the point! Are you engaged to him, or aren't you?" Catherine raised her voice, her eyes darkening as she practically lunged at Elizabeth. "You're not worthy enough for the amount of blessings you would receive if you married him. His father might have made that mistake, but I will see that he won't!" Elizabeth felt her insides harden as she glared at the woman who was obviously trying to take away one of the only things making her happy.

"The way you talk is as if he's a child. If you must know, I'm not engaged to him!" Elizabeth snapped, stepping closer as well. She wouldn't let the likes of Catherine intimidate her.

"And you promise not to ever get close enough for that sort of thing?" Catherine seemed pleased, and she took a step back. Elizabeth was practically seething.

"I would never." She hissed, stepping foreword again. There was a shocked silence as Catherine glared again, and stiffened her back. She began to shout, her face red, but Elizabeth cut her off, advancing slowly.

"You've insulted my family, my integrity, my morals; you come to my home demanding answers and when they don't match what you believe, you walk all over them as if they're nothing. Do you really think that is the way a respectable woman behaves? I've given my answer, most reluctantly, and I believe it's time for you to leave." She stopped her tirade when she realized that she had backed Lady Catherine into her limousine, and with a harrumph, she turned around and stomped back to her house.

"I've never been treated like this before. Not in my entire life!" Catherine snapped, opening the door and climbing into her car.

"There's a first time for everything." Lizzie grumbled, flinging open the door to her house. She paused when she saw everyone leaning at the window, jumping back when they noticed her. Even her father stood there, his eyes downcast, hands caught in the cookie jar.

"Lizzie, what in the world?" Her mother began.

"OH LEAVE ME ALONE!" She snapped, whirling around and running up the stairs to her room. Flinging open the door, she reached her old room and began packing her clothes, calling to Jane, "We're leaving in ten!"

* * *

The ride back to their apartment was simply put; quiet. Jane knew not to say anything, and Lizzie was stuck in her thoughts, feeling slightly ashamed. She knew she had let her emotions with Will and Lydia flow over and she had basically attacked Catherine viciously with everything in her power to do so. Still, she felt a sick satisfaction that Catherine wouldn't bother her again.

But with that performance earlier, how could she expect Will to?

As they reached the apartment complex, Jane silently grabbed her bags and walked up the stairs, making Lizzie feel guiltier. She hadn't meant to scream at her own family. Everything was piling up, and she didn't know what to do. As she trudged up the stairs, she heard a scream, and with a curse, she rushed up the stairs, expecting the worst.

It was to her surprise that Charlie was hugging her like the world was crumbling, but she wasn't hugging him back. His red hair stood on end, and he was still pale, but there was a determination about him that Lizzie had never seen before. Something twisted in her chest to see it, and as Charlie looked and saw Lizzie, he smiled slightly.

"Will told me…" He said simply, his face slightly pained. Lizzie furrowed her brows at this and simply stared.

"When?" She asked.

"Today…" He grimaced as Jane muttered something and grabbing both hers and Lizzie's bags, she walked inside. Lizzie shook her head. Everyone was full of surprises today.

"How'd you get here so fast?" Lizzie wondered out loud, slightly amused at Charlie's face as it turned beet red.

"I-I… I was on my way anyway. I knew I shouldn't have left… but his declaration sealed the deal." Charlie turned back to the open door where Jane had turned on lights and rummaged through letters that had been pushed through the mail slot. "I'm going to have to earn her." He muttered, more to himself than Lizzie.

"Not as hard as you think, Charlie." Lizzie laughed and invited him inside, her face bright even though her mind was working overtime. She desperately wanted to sleep. As they walked into the room, Lizzie looked at Jane's tense appearance, and Charlie's nervous one.

"I'm… going to clean my room." Lizzie mumbled, and fled to her room so that she could clear her mind, and let them discuss things.

* * *

The tension in the room was so thick, Charlie was sure he could make a sandwich out of it. He could see Jane battling internally about how she should react, and he desperately wanted to hold her again. She looked so beautiful… it was hardly describable. Her face was bathed in the light of the room, casting the shadow of her thick lashes across the tops of her cheeks as she looked down. Slowly, gently, he let his finger slide across her cheek and lift her chin up, causing her to look up at him. Her blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears, and a hole threatened to rip his chest apart to see her in such pain.

"Jane, I-" He began desperately.

"You hurt me." She whispered softly, letting a tear fall down. Charlie caught it with his thumb as he stroked her cheek softly, relishing in the feel of her skin. His breath caught as she looked up at him, her breath shallow, her lips trembling as she tried to fight back tears.

"I know." He whispered, looking down. He felt his shoulders sag, and the weight in his pocket doubled. There was a heated silence as Jane fought back against the pain that had once held her contained in her room, too tired and pained to leave. Charlie fought back the urge to wrap his arms around her again, knowing he needed the verdict before he could do anything.

"… Don't do it again." She whispered, locking eyes with him again. Charlie's breath caught as he stared into her eyes, pouring his love for her out in a look. He couldn't fight the smile back from his face as he threw his arms around her, spinning her about the room, laughing with jubilation. She wanted him! By the grace of God above, she wanted him!" Throwing himself onto his knees, he looked up imploringly, trying to convey a hidden message. Jane looked down in a confused way, her eyes telling him she didn't understand.

"Jane… without you was without air. It was like I was thrown underwater; I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see. Without your love, without you I couldn't truly, truly exist. I can't imagine living another day without knowing you cared for me… without knowing you love me. Jane…" Charlie fumbled with the weight in his pocket, and he pulled out a velvet box, lined with a silk ribbon. Jane's voice caught in her throat as he opened the box to show her a silver ring, a fire opal imbedded around sparkling diamonds and aquamarine stones. The opal was in the shape of a small pair of wings, and the fire in it hit the light right. Jane gasped at the sight, her eyes widening in shock.

"Jane…" Charlie took the ring and slid it slowly onto her finger. "Will you marry me?"

* * *

Will ground his teeth in frustration as he listened to his aunt's screeching. He couldn't exactly decipher what she was saying, all that kept him on the line was when she said, "ELIZABETH BENNET!"

"Aunt Catherine… will you please explain what is going on?" Will asked, grinding his teeth in frustration. The woman quieted slightly before continuing, her voice decibel considerably lower.

"I said… that Elizabeth Bennett is the worst creature for you. I went to their house… today. And when I accused her of being engaged to you-"

"You what?!" Will cried out in horror as he stared at his phone, disbelief etched onto his cool features.

"Well, Mr. Collins heard from his wife that you two might be engaged, so I went to visit her, and when I asked her, she said no." Catherin plodded on haughtily.

"You didn't…" Will fell back into his seat, groaning inaudibly. He couldn't believe what his aunt had just done.

"I did, and when I asked her to promise never to do so, she said no! She went in on a tangent, declaring I had no right to do so! The nerve of that woman! I have never been treated like this in my entire- hello?"

Her last few words fell on a dead line; Will had hung up.

"Driver… I have a new address for you to follow."

* * *

"Well Blaise… I have to say, you know your stuff." Charlotte smiled and looked back at him confidently before turning back to the paintings on the wall. Blaise smiled and shrugged, confidently wrapping an arm around her waist.

"What can I say, painting is my life." Blaise winced as Charlotte smacked him in the stomach lightly, jokingly.

"It isn't even. You're just trying to make me like you." Charlotte laughed as Blaise shrugged again, a smirk in place.

"Is it working?" He asked, leaning in slightly, his eyes burning into hers. Charlotte felt something strange; her heart was thudding in her chest as she looked back, her throat suddenly going dry. As Blaise leaned in confidently though, she turned around, walking towards another picture. Turning back, she smirked as she retorted playfully, "I'll let you know."

"Oh bloody hell… I love it when you do that."

* * *

Elizabeth padded down the hallway the next morning, her eyes half closed as she fought to wake up. Dumbly, she practically fell over onto the counter where she began preparing coffee in a dangerous manner. When she accidentally poured coffee powder into the dishwasher instead of the pot, someone intervened.

"I'll take that." Charlie joked, scooting her aside to assist. Lizzie blinked up at him, swaying as she fell into a seat at the table.

"Thanks…" She muttered, yawning as she did so. Charlie laughed at her bedraggled appearance and then turned the stove on, pulling out ingredients for pancakes. As Lizzie dozed at the table, he prepared breakfast, humming to himself brightly. About twenty minutes later, Lizzie shot up from the table, pointing an accusing finger at Charlie.

"YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE IN BOXERS!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide with realization. Charlie froze, a smile breaking over his face as he stared.

"Well… I stayed the night." He laughed brightly, setting coffee and pancakes in front of her. Lizzie looked down dumbly at her food before looking back up. "Ok… you can stay." Before grabbing her coffee and drinking deeply. Charlie shook his head and laughed again.

"I'm so glad to have your permission." He teased, but only got a grunt in return. There was suddenly a persistent knocking at the door, and with a shrug, Charlie waltzed over to answer it. As he opened the door though, his face fell, and the look of anger seemed strange on his face.

"Oh Lizze," He called in a monotone voice, "Will's at the door for you."

* * *

**Well, five pages are better than one and a half, but I know I can do better. We've got about two more chapters left, and then our tale is done. Review and let me know what you think, kk?**


	35. Power Puff Girls

**Ah, thanks for your reviews!**

**Yeah, I knew I needed to add Charlie with a bigger backbone. I hate that he resembled a squid in that category.**

**Here you go!**

* * *

Lizzie clutched her mug of coffee tightly in her hand as she heard muffled talking in the next room over. She couldn't believe that he, of all people, was standing at her door, wanting to talk to her. Well, she could, but at nine in the morning?! She knew she was waking up slowly, but she also knew that slowly was not enough. She would most likely say something stupid, and then ruin any moment between them. Looking up at her reflection in the microwave, Lizzie winced. Her hair was curly, but in a slightly messy way, like she hadn't done anything but wake up and not take a second glance at it.

Which… she kind of did.

"Lizzie?" Charlie walked back into the kitchen, and seeing Lizzie with a look of panic on her face, he quickly tried to rectify the situation.

"Lizzie, he doesn't care what you look like, just go talk to him so I don't have to. I can't hit people, but it would be funny to see me try…" Charlie winked at her before turning around and walking back, calling out to Will as he passed that he needed to give her a moment.

"Of course…" Will replied, slightly baffled. Lizzie took deep, calming breaths before she stood up slowly, letting the room stop spinning as she tried to make her mind wake up. Taking the time to fix her hair a little bit before walking into the living room, Lizzie completely ignored the fact that she was clad in Power Puff Girls boxers and a tank top.

"Hey…" She let her voice trail off as she saw that he was clad in a pair of jeans and a polo with a sports blazer. He dressed simple, but still he looked classy. She felt instantly retarded.

"Didn't know we had to dress for the occasion." he teased with a small smile. Lizzie raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall as she surveyed him from across the room. Yes, it was safer to think right with him over there. Waaaay over there.

"Yeah well, what can I say; I'm a sucker for the Power Puff Girls." Lizzie replied nonchalantly.

"I… wanted to talk to you." Will suddenly blurted after a moment of silence. Lizzie laughed at the strange look on his face, but then it fell into silence again. She stupidly imagined crickets in the background.

"Well, we could talk here or…" Her voice trailed off when she realized that even in this house the walls had ears. Blushing slightly, she resumed. "Or we could wait for me to change and we could walk around." Will seemed relieved at the second suggestion, and he nodded, sitting down to wait for her to change. Nonchalantly, she turned and walked slowly back to her room.

When Lizzie got to her room, she burst into an action of frenzy and immediately began throwing clothes around, looking for something clean to wear.

"Why do we hardly do laundry here?!" She hissed under her breath as she finally pulled up a clear pair of jeans and a hoodie. Flinging them on, she desperately pulled her hair back with a headband and deemed herself worthy. Stopping by the bathroom, she brushed her teeth quickly, not wanting the whole issue of bad breath to come about. Finally, she slipped on a pair of vans and stepped back into the living room. Will was staring down at the floor with a look of concentration, and it took her clearing her throat sharply for him to realize he was being addressed.

"Oh…" His voice trailed off as he stared at her, and with a blush he gave a start and opened the door for her. Shrugging, Lizzie followed him out feeling the cool morning air hit her face. Blinking back in surprise, Lizzie suddenly had the desire to turn around and run back inside and hide underneath her covers. It was waaaay too early to deal with this. Why couldn't he stop by around seven or eight at night? What was with morning people?!

They walked quietly down the stairs and along the walkway, their paces matched, even with Will's legs long. Lizzie noticed how he was making an effort to stay with her, and how whenever he would open his mouth, he would suddenly close it, clenching his fists by his sides as he walked. She knew whatever he had to say, it would take a while to get it out of him.

"Look." She said suddenly, stopping all motion on the sidewalk, her fists planted on her hips. Will froze mid-motion, his brows together in confusion, dark blue eyes staring into hers. Clearing his throat, he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets.

"I'm looking." He answered nervously, attempting a smile.

"I don't care what you've done before." Lizzie stated with a scowl, much to Will's surprise. His face fell slightly, and before he could say anything, she plodded on. "What you just did for Jane and Charlie back there… was amazing. And I don't care if it's stupid, or low class to say… but I thank you. So much." She gushed, finally looking straight into his eyes. Her heart began picking up its pace as she stared at him, her eyes trying to tell him how much she was grateful. Will turned a bright red, but he managed to keep eye contact. His heart squoze painfully in his chest, and his bones felt like jelly, but he didn't care. Suddenly, her eyes were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. They always had been.

"I wouldn't… have wanted you to find any of this out." He said lamely, his eyes downcast suddenly. He bit the side of his mouth as he thought back to everything this woman had come to know. It was like she had inadvertently pried into his past, and had found his guarded secrets. "I mean, I don't want you to like me because-"

"Will," Lizzie laughed slightly, dazedly, "Will, I don't like you." There was a pregnant pause as he suddenly looked at her, dead silent, pain clear in his eyes. Lizzie stared hard at him, her face settling into a deadpan stare. The seconds ticked by, and his mind raced, desperately trying to see the hidden meaning behind her words. Why was she here if she didn't like him?!

"I… I don't understand." He faltered slightly, and cursed himself. He had to be strong; he wouldn't take rejection again from her. He couldn't let her see the way her words ripped into him like a knife, twisting around already permanent wounds.

"What's not to understand?" She asked, blinking quickly. "I don't like you, Will. I think… I love you." She felt heat rise to her cheeks as she stared up at him, cool morning air brushing around her face and raising goosebumps on her arms. Will stopped mid-air from running his hands through his hair, and his arms fell dumbly down to his side.

"W-what?" He asked softly, his dark blue eyes piercing. Something began filling his chest up with air as he found it suddenly hard to breath. A weird, giddy feeling began surfacing along his arms, and before Will could stop himself, he was enveloping Lizzie in a hug that she hadn't seen coming. Lizzie gasped slightly as she returned the gesture with ease, his warmth permeating from him and taking away all of the cold. His head was tucked against her shoulder as he lifted her up slightly, and she could hear him whispering in her ear.

"I love you, Lizzie." He murmured, setting her down.

And the burning emotion in his sapphire eyes told her this was true. And even though it was only 9 o'clock in the morning, Elizabeth had never felt more awake.

* * *

**I know, I know. Short. Painfully short. And I haven't updated in a while. But I want to finish this for you guys, but I don't have too much time, so take it as it comes, yes?**


	36. A Cure and an Epilogue

* * *

_So, this is the epilogue. _

_I really want to thank all of you who've read this_

_And especially those who've reviewed. _

_You don't know how much that's helped!_

_I've had a blast writing this story!!_

_No, there won't be a sequel :( _

_Sorry. _

_But,_

_There's another story I'm writing._

_It's called __Lyrical Lies__._

_That one I'm working on, and there will be a sequel to it _

_So when you're done with this story, _

_Check that one out, yes?_

_Yes._

_Once again, thanks!_

**Disclaimer- As if I could own the most amazing characters or story known to man!**

* * *

_**One Year Later**_

Her dress was snowy white, and flared out around her like a silk river. Her veil flared out behind her like angel wings, and her thick brown hair was pinned away from her face and trailed down her back in ringlets. Makeup was applied slowly and carefully, but the artificial preparations were lost to the one who wore them. She stood in the midst of smiling women, her ever changing eyes holding a faraway look, much to her friends' and family's amusement.

"Thinking about him again?" Charlotte teased as she adjusted the train of the dress. Her hands moved skillfully, and she was tactfully avoiding the gossamer hem of ribbon from snagging on her ring.

"Who else would she be thinking about?" Jane asked with an equally large grin. As she tied the back of the dress together, she looked up at Elizabeth, calling out jokingly, "Is the bride in the building?" Elizabeth looked down suddenly at them, her face turning slightly red as she realized they were talking to her. Stepping off of the stool, she walked over to the full length mirror. Her eyes glazed with surprise when she saw the woman who stood before her.

"You look stunning." Charlotte commented with a smile, hugging her friend tightly.

"Not any better than me." Lydia replied as she packed the makeup away. Mrs. Bennett reached over and smacked her daughter on the arm with a sharp, "Oh shut up you!"

"Only joking." Lydia mumbled with a wink to Lizzie. Lizzie smiled wider, and a strange giddy feeling took over her. She felt light headed as everyone began trickling out of the room so she could have a few moments to herself. Jane was the last one out, who gave her sister a peck on the cheek before leaving.

Lizzie looked at the green eyed, tan skinned girl before her and she had to laugh. This was not the Lizzie she was used to. Her hair was cooperating perfectly, and the dress fit her perfectly. The mirror seemed to tell her that she had grown up in the past couple of years.

And she knew why.

"You look beautiful." Mr. Bennett hugged his daughter tightly, his gravelly tones easing her nerves. He was dressed smartly in a black tux with a silver waistcoat and tie.

"Thanks." She replied, looking back at the mirror. "Dad… that's not me." She stated with a slight waver in her voice. Mr. Bennett looked at her, then back at the mirror and chuckled.

"Ok, it's not. So you're not about to marry Mr. Fitzwilliam Aiden Andrew Darcy?" Mr. Bennett asked, fixing her veil slightly.

"Why does he get to have two middle names?" She muttered, eyes still fixated on her reflection.

"Some family tradition." Her father replied with a laugh. Lizzie looked back at him finally, suddenly showing her panic.

"Dad, what if it doesn't work out? What if we argue a lot, like we do now?" She demanded in half hysteria. "What if I want out the moment I say I want in? What if-"

"What if you die walking down the aisle?" Mr. Bennett asked sharply. "Lizzie, if you base your life on what ifs, you'll never have a future." He grabbed Lizzie and turned her back to the mirror.

"He fell in love with that." He said simply, jabbing at her reflection. "You're that. And I don't think it's ever going to change."

* * *

"Charlie, what if she doesn't love me?" Will asked under his breath for what felt like the thirtieth time. Charlie sighed and nudged Blaise with his foot.

"Shut him up." He begged under his breath with a laugh. Blaise wrapped an arm around Will's shoulder and punched him lightly.

"You think she'd be getting ready, right now, if she didn't? Mate, after all the stuff you two love birds have been through, if she's still here, ready to marry you, but doesn't love you, then I don't know what love is." He smiled as Will threw a nervous glance back to the large double doors. A gorgeous brunette haired woman in a silver dress peeked through the doors, and when she saw Blaise she winked and waved.

"And by now, I think we all know what love is." He added as he waved back stupidly.

"You're a lovesick cow." Charlie replied cheerily, but his face turned red as he waved at a tall blond peeking over Charlotte's shoulders.

"And you're just saying that because you know the feeling." Blaise shrugged it off as he twisted the ring on his left ring finger. "Mate… I've seen and beat you through this entire thing. You think she'd stay with you after all of that if she didn't?"

Will smiled and his shoulders sagged. "She's weird like that."

"That's the spirit!"

* * *

When a little girl with dark hair and mischievous blue eyes began walking down the aisle, tossing mixed white and red petals, the entire room grew hushed. They all watched as she waved and smiled at people she knew, and threw the rose petals anywhere she thought it would look pretty. A little boy followed a few moments afterward, looking adorable in his child's suit. His black hair was messy and sticking up everywhere, but he didn't seem to mind. His eyes were intent on the pillow that supported two rings. He was mumbling something under his breath, but no one could tell. As they reached the end, they both took to one side, and everyone gave appreciative sounds of "Aw".

A soft violin began playing as six girls began walking down the walkway, one after the other, their silver dresses flaring out and accenting their frames nicely. Mary took the lead with Kitty, Lydia, Charlotte, Gina, and then Jane following. As they took their places on the stand, the two small children began exclaiming.

"Mommy-"

"Look what we-"

"Did, aren't you-"

"Proud?"

"Of course she'd be-"

"Proud of us you-"

"Silly duck!"

"Melody, Tae, shh…" Gina put a finger to her lips as she winked and looked at Will in apology. Will wasn't even looking over at the source of the noise, his dark blue eyes were trained on something else entirely. As a string quartet joined in with the violin, the entire room stood as the most beautiful woman Will had ever seen glided down the aisle with her father.

"Charlie…" Will whispered, half in shock as she looked at him, her green eyes flashing a dark blue when the light reflected off of them. Charlie gave a soft chuckle as his friend's face broke into a stunning grin that made more than half the room swoon. He could see his sister glaring in the front row, wearing a dark maroon dress, daring to go dark for disrespect to the bride. No one cared, nor did they notice.

"I know, I know." Charlie replied with a large grin. Blaise chuckled as he saw Lizzie taking deep slow breaths, and he whispered back to his cousin, "Better stop smiling, you're going to daze her, mate."

"Sod off." Will replied in under tones. He almost felt like he was in a dream as she turned and kissed her dad on the cheek before walking up to him and taking his hand. She was soft and smooth as she brushed up against him, whispering discreetly, "I tripped on the way."

"No one noticed." He replied with an even larger grin. Lizzie stared at him for a second, and then the largest grin he had ever seen broke across her face, sending his heart into convulsions.

"Whatever happened to that man with the enlarged heart? You know, where his anatomy was all off?" He asked as the priest began talking to the crowd. He could hardly hear what the man was saying, let alone care. His eyes were only for her. His hands moved through the motions on their own as the rings were passed to them. He was hardly thinking about that. Why should he?

"The one back at the hospital in London?" Lizzie asked with a slight frown. Will nodded slowly before he turned at said something or other to the priest and began moving his hands again. The entire room smiled as the priest began addressing Lizzie.

"Whatever happened to him?" He asked as Lizzie replied happily to the priest. The priest began talking, hands raised slightly. Something cold pressed against his left ring finger.

"I don't know, why?" She asked, baffled. Will smiled.

"Because I think I've got the cure for it." He said as he pressed his lips against hers.

* * *

_So there you go._

_And they lived happily ever after. _


End file.
